Boarding has started for New Zealand's last repatriation flight from Port Vila.

"Children were falling to the ground, everyone was falling all around, it was panic" when the earthquake struck, group supervisor says.

There are conflicting reports of the official death toll - with members of the public voicing frustrations online.

A Kiwi in Vanuatu says the mood has shifted around Port Vila's collapsed CBD building, with locals feeling it is unlikely they will find anyone else alive.

Marine technician Joe Mataele deflects praise after being named Sailor of the Year and New Zealand Defence Force Person of the Year.

On Christmas Eve, MPs in Tonga will choose a new prime minister after the resignation of Hu'akavameliku Siaosi Sovaleni on December 9.

Coach says players are in better condition than they were at the same time last year ahead of the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season.

Janice Yeoman and Germaine Joblin saw 210 patients in four and a half days.

Dozens of workers from New Zealand are stuck in Fiji waiting for the Bauerfield International Airport to reopen.

Rescuers in Vanuatu will be under pressure to reach trapped people quickly, but there will be tough decisions if buildings aren't safe to enter, a structural engineer says.

Just over half of the cases have required hospital care.

There are warnings the death toll is likely to rise as rescue efforts continue in Vanuatu for people trapped in collapsed buildings.

The rainfall, while beneficial, also led to some physical disturbances, including strong water currents that washed debris from the sea onto the shores, prompting cleanup efforts at various locations.

Viliame Gavoka revealed on Thursday there were no illicit substances or methanol found in the ingredients and liquor samples.

The Australian government has introduced new measures for refugees in Papua New Guinea that detractors have labelled a "death sentence".

Rusiate Tudravu, who resigned in 2021, was revealed as the new police commissioner on Wednesday. He will be mentored by former New Zealand police boss Mike Bush.

New Zealand Internal Affairs office confirmed the it received 154 applications, 71 of them from Samoa, and over 100 more applications are expected this week.

The company said it had been unable to clarify the extent of this security risk and made the decision in the best interest of customer safety.