A 7.3 magnitude earthquake has struck the Vanuatu islands, with Australia now joining other nations to assist in a search and rescue.
The quake hit the capital of Port Vila for 30 seconds, around midday on Tuesday, followed by a second quake of magnitude 5.5 on Wednesday morning, according to the German Research Centre for Geosciences.
The official death toll has yet to be released but at least 14 people were reportedly killed and 200 have been treated for injuries, according to Katie Greenwood from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
This number is expected to rise, and with Vanuatu being comprised of more than 80 islands the state of towns outside the capital is unknown.
Caretaker prime minister, Charlot Salwai has issued a state of emergency for seven days, and instituted a curfew from 6pm to 6am, with the exception of essential services.
Foreign minister Penny Wong said the government was preparing to deploy immediate assistance to Vanuatu from today, in the form of emergency medical teams and search and rescue units to the island.
A helpline has also been set up to help Australians who may be caught in the disaster.
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles also spoke on the unfolding situation, saying "clearly this is a very significant incident, and we hold anxiety about how it will unfold."
