Two staff from the NZ High Commission in Vanuatu unaccounted for after a devastating earthquake have been found safe.
In a post on X, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said both employees have been located and spoken to in Port Vila.
High Commissioner Nicci Simmonds in Vanuatu had earlier confirmed all other staff from New Zealand were safe, MFAT said.
At least 14 people are reported to have died as a result of Tuesday's 7.3 quake and the number was expected to rise because concrete buildings had collapsed with people inside in the capital Port Vila.
Aftershocks have been felt in the Pacific island nation, with a 6.1 tremor on Wednesday, at a depth of 10km, the German Research Center for Geosciences said.
The New Zealand High Commission was among buildings that have been damaged.
"It was the most violent earthquake I've experienced in my 21 years living in Vanuatu and in the Pacific Islands. I've seen a lot of large earthquakes, never one like this," Dan McGarry, a journalist based in Vanuatu, told Reuters.
"Vanuatu is a member of our Pacific family and we are supporting it in this time of acute need. Our thoughts are with the people of Vanuatu, and we will be doing all we can to help."
A military surveillance plane was due to fly above Vanuatu this morning to help assess the damage.
"We are also offering to send an urban search and rescue team and relief supplies to Vanuatu later today, once the airport in Port Vila has re-opened. New Zealand emergency medical, civil defence, consular and humanitarian officials will also deploy as part of this operation."
New Zealand would provide further support, as requested by Vanuatu, working closely with Australia and France, he said.
"With communications still badly affected as a result of the earthquake, it is going to take some time to work through with Vanuatu what assistance it needs in the days ahead.
“We will continue to assess how best to assist New Zealanders in Vanuatu, who are encouraged to follow guidance provided by local authorities."
While the death toll from the 7.3 quake was unclear, the International Federation of Red Cross said the Vanuatu government was reporting 14 confirmed deaths.
There are 58 New Zealanders registered as being in Vanuatu, though MFAT expects there are more not registered. At this stage, it was not aware of any New Zealanders killed or injured.
Kiwis in Vanuatu in need of consular assistance were encouraged to contact the 24/7 emergency consular line on +64 99 20 20 20 as soon as they were able.
A state of emergency has been declared in the worst-affected areas and police have been given powers to impose curfews.
Concrete buildings have collapsed with people inside, homes and infrastructure were destroyed and the road to the main port is blocked by a large slip.
A New Zealand Defence Force P8 aircraft military surveillance plane was to fly above Vanuatu today to check the situation, Peters told RNZ's Morning Report.
If it could land, a C130 would touch down in the afternoon with rescue teams, supplies and consular people.
"We've put a lot of work into it overnight and we're set to go."
Peters said they were trying to get as much on the ground as fast as possible.
"We are just desperate for information at this point in time."
The best information so far was that damage was mainly in Port Vila.
New Zealand Red Cross secretary general Sarah Stuart-Black said they were on stand by to assist Vanuatu's Red Cross.
The teams there were already helping to provide shelter, she told RNZ's Morning Report programme today.
They had equipment for 4000 households.
"We're needing to wait and see what will actually benefit the most in country."
Often the best thing to send was money, she said.
- Additional reporting APL
