The death toll rises after a devastating 7.4 magnitude earthquake hits the Vanuatu islands.
According to Agence France-Presse, an eyewitness said he saw bodies in the capital, Port Vila, after the massive earthquake destroyed bridges, landslides and severely damaged buildings.
The ground floor of a building that houses the US and French embassies has been crushed under higher floors, resident Michael Thomson told AFP by satellite phone after posting images of the destruction on social media.
Images of destruction in the islands of Vanuatu.
The earthquake, initially estimated at 7.4, damaged buildings in the Vanuatu capital Port Vila, including the embassies of the US, France, Britain and New Zealand, according to video verified by AFP news agency and Reuters.
Authorities say the risk of a tsunami is low
Authorities in Australia and New Zealand said they did not believe there was a tsunami threat, as did authorities in Guam and American Samoa.
The epicenter of the earthquake, initially estimated at 7.4, was located just 30 kilometers west of Port Vila, and the focal depth was about 43 kilometers, according to revised estimates by US seismologists, who initially spoke of a single focal depth. 10 kilometers.