Since the magnitude 7.3 quake struck the capital Port Vila on Tuesday killing at least 10 people and injuring at least 200, the federal government has repatriated 283 Australians.
The disaster triggered landslides, destroyed infrastructure and flattened buildings across the island nation.
The current death toll, as confirmed by local authorities, is expected to rise as search and rescue operations continue.
The Queensland Fire Department's disaster assistance response team leader Doug May described the harrowing conditions emergency crews face.
"We're dealing with several major collapse sites ... we're now delayering the sites to assess if further people are under the rubble," he said in Port Vila.
Given the immense strain on local authorities, Mr May's team has expanded search efforts to Vanuatu's outer suburbs, where communities remain isolated.
"We're fully reliant on satellite and radio communications, which is slowing things down considerably," Mr May said.
Among the Australians who've returned home was Chantel Omai.
With a fist pump and tears of relief, Mrs Omai was visibly emotional as she stepped onto the tarmac at Brisbane International Airport Thursday evening.
"It feels so good to be home," she told AAP.
"We're home. We're safe."
Ms Omai, who was travelling with her husband and three kids, was shopping when the earthquake hit.
"We were in a shop when it happened, it threw my son and hubby on the road," she said.
"There's a lot of people still under rubble that has collapsed ... it's very bad."
Shane Cook said there were packed cries of "tsunami". (David Clark/AAP PHOTOS)
Also arriving was Shane Cook, who was in Port Vila when the earthquake struck.
"I watched buildings come down around me, and I watched people ... I saw someone get crushed. It was horrific," he told AAP.
After hearing panicked cries of "tsunami", Mr Cook and others raced uphill.
"We literally sat on the top of the hill for about five-and-a-half hours until someone came to us and gave us some information to go to the Australian High Commission," he said.
Emeren Chiana was in Vanuatu for a family wedding.
She was at Vanuatu's famed Blue Lagoon when the quake hit.
"Two of my cousins were actually on a tree trying to jump off into the lagoon.. the Blue Lagoon turned brown in like, probably five seconds," she said.
An emotional Emeren Chiana recalled the devastation of her family's homes in the earthquake. (David Clark/AAP PHOTOS)
With roads blocked by landslides, Ms Chiana struggled to return to her hotel, only to find homes near her grandmother's house underwater.
Meanwhile, the Australian Council for International Development has launched an appeal to support recovery efforts.
"We know how deep the ties in our communities run back to Vanuatu, and how desperately Australians want to help," said the council's humanitarian lead Naomi Brooks.
"Donating cash is the fastest and most flexible way to ensure assistance reaches those who need it."
The Vanuatu government has declared a state of emergency, with ongoing threats of cyclones and landslides further complicating the recovery.
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