Evacuation

It is planning another mass evacuation.

Reports from the island say houses and trees are collapsing due to the weight of the ash while many locals have suffered a raft of health issues.

There has been increased activity from the Manaro Voui crater on Mt Lombenben for the past month, although the mountain remained active since last September's major eruption.

The evacuations followed a volcanic eruption on the island which has covered it in ash.

The newspaper The National reported the minister responsible for National Disaster Management, Kevin Isifu, saying previous reports of the island having only 700 people was based on eligible voters in the electoral roll.

Kadovar's population was moved to neighbouring islands, but Mr Isifu said there was a plan to permanently resettle them on the mainland in East Sepik.

The 11-thousand strong population was moved off earlier this month after the Manaro volcano began erupting and threatened food and water supplies.

The Council of Ministers said the repatriation will only begin once the Disaster Management Office had analysed the logistics and prepared a plan.

The council said it will take responsibility for returning the evacuees.

It's also agreed to extend the state of emergency "to facilitate the repatriation".

The Australian government says the additional assistance will enable NGOs and the government of Vanuatu to extend access to basic services, including education and healthcare.

It says it will allow displaced people to resume more normal lives following their evacuation to the nearby islands of Espiritu Santo, Maewo and Pentecost and upon their return to Ambae Island.

Australia's total contribution to the relief effort so far is valued at about $US2.4 million, including funding for emergency food, water, shelter and hygiene supplies, aerial surveillance and evacuations.

The island's 11,000 people were evacuated last month when the island's volcano started erupting, covering much of the island in ash and killing crops.

RNZI reports the evacuees are currently in evacuation centres on the nearby islands of Santo, Maewo and Pentecost.

The government last week extended the state of emergency for another fortnight, but with the volcano settling down, a repatriation to Ambae could occur within a month.

UNICEF's Andrew Parker said the government is working tirelessly to plan for what will be another major challenge.

An evacuation of Terminal 8 was under way while police searched for a suspect, New York City television station WPIX reported.

A representative of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airport, could not immediately be reached for comment.