Joy, relief as Aussies return home after Vanuatu quake

Brisbane: Chantel Mara stepped off the plane with tears of relief. She was finally home after experiencing the chaos of the Vanuatu earthquake. “It feels so good to be home,” she said, and you could really feel her joy.

She was one of 136 Australians who returned on RAAF planes, sharing stories of survival after the 7.3 magnitude quake hit Port Vila, leaving destruction in its wake.

This quake was the worst the Pacific island has seen in over a century, causing landslides and even tsunami warnings. It was a scary time for everyone there.

Chantel was with her husband and three kids when the quake struck. She recalled the panic at their hotel, saying, “We were in a shop when it happened, it threw my son and hubby on the road.”

She mentioned that many people were still trapped under the rubble. It was heartbreaking to hear. The aftershocks were terrifying too, with buildings collapsing around them.

Shane Cook, another returnee, described watching buildings fall and people getting hurt. “Everyone started yelling ‘Tsunami!’ so we had to run up a giant hill,” he said, recalling the chaos.

Emeren Chiana was on holiday for a wedding when the quake hit. She was worried about her family, especially the kids, as the Blue Lagoon turned brown in seconds due to the disturbance.

She faced challenges getting back to her hotel, only to find her family’s homes were flooded. “I still have family that is stuck over there,” she said, clearly upset.

Brooke Taylor was getting ready for a zip-line tour when everything started shaking. “Everything collapsed on us,” she remembered, feeling isolated without power or water.

With the Australian government sending teams to help in Vanuatu, the focus is now on recovery. The situation is still serious, with risks of cyclones and more rain, making the recovery efforts even more urgent.