Noumea, New Caledonia—A 6.3 magnitude earthquake rattled the southern coast on Wednesday, causing widespread alarm and confirmed fatalities. The tremor was felt across the main island, leading to the collapse of walls in several older coastal districts. Local emergency services have mobilized to secure the area and assess the damage to infrastructure.

The shaking was intense enough to knock items off shelves and cause structural cracks in many residential units. Several roads near the waterfront were closed due to falling masonry and light ground fissuring. Power grids were temporarily interrupted, leaving some neighborhoods without service for several hours. Utility workers are currently on the ground conducting repairs.

Hospitals in Noumea have received reports of injuries, with fatalities confirmed in the aftermath of building collapses. Medical personnel are working to identify the deceased while treating those with serious trauma. The authorities have activated a response plan to support affected families and provide temporary shelter.

Government officials have urged the public to remain calm and follow directives from the emergency management team. There is no immediate tsunami threat, according to the regional warning center, but coastal residents are advised to remain vigilant. Engineers are conducting rapid safety checks on public buildings and critical bridges.

International aid is currently not required as domestic teams handle the situation. The focus is on the safe extraction of people trapped in damaged structures and the restoration of normal services. A secondary team of geologists is monitoring the fault lines for signs of potential aftershocks.

The shock of the quake has caused significant disruption to daily operations, with schools and businesses shutting down for the day. Local police are patrolling the streets to ensure public safety and prevent the spread of misinformation. No further details on the casualties have been provided at this time.

The investigation into the structural integrity of local architecture is expected to be lengthy. For now, the city remains on high alert. Teams will continue the clearing process throughout the night, with priorities given to ensuring no further residents are trapped under debris.