State of emergency declared as evacuation continues on Ambae Island

Authorities in Vanuatu are trying to evacuate as many people as possible who are living within the vicinity of a volcano that has erupted on Ambae Island.

The government has declared a state of emergency and residents are being moved from a dense danger zone to safer grounds.

Vanuatu Red Cross Disaster Risk Reduction coordinator, Agustine Karae, told Loop Vanuatu that about 3500 to 4000 people have been moved to safer grounds and the numbers are expected to increase.

Karae says residents have been advised to take precautions as there is the danger of the volcano further erupting to reach a level 5.

“We conducted awareness and people were reminded to move to safer grounds and also to leave their animals free,” he said.

The government is currently providing people with necessities such as food and water.

Karae says the people have been reminded to use water wisely, take shelter, and maintain hygiene as belching ash from the volcano can contaminate food and water.

The volcano on the Ambae Island recently showed increased activity and it increased to alert level 4 on Saturday which indicates a moderate eruption state.

At this alert level, volcanic activity is likely to continue to increase or decrease to its normal level of unrest at any time. 

Karae said the people in the dense danger zone need to move and authorities will continue to look at short term and long term planning.

Further west, residents on the country's largest island, Santo, said crops risk being ruined by falling ash if the wind direction does not change.

 

Photo supplied by Vanuatu Red Cross Facebook

Author: 
Anishma Prasad
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