A powerful earthquake has hit the Pacific island country of Vanuatu, levelling buildings in the capital of Port Vila.

The 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck 18 miles off the coast of Vanuatu’s main island, Efate, just before 2am on Tuesday, triggering tsunami warnings.

Witnesses report of bodies lying in the street, while the wounded have been gathering outside the main hospital.

Michael Thompson, a resident who runs a zip line adventure business, told AFP: “There’s people in the buildings in town. There were bodies there when we walked past.”

One person has been confirmed dead with authorities expecting the death toll to rise. No casualties amongst foreign personnel have been reported.