State of emergency

The Department of Biosecurity will continue to conduct emergency response operations at North Efate.

The work is being done using approved emergency funding of $US300,000.

The ministers endorsed for all government agencies, including Police and the Office of the Maritime Regulator, to continue to assist Department of Biosecurity by providing checkpoint screening over the next 60 days.

The approved emergency fund will also be used to investigate the suspected spread of the pest in other locations such as Emae island and in South Santo.

The beetle damages coconut plantations.

The Daily Post newspaper reported the state of emergency was was due to end today.

However, the Ministry of Agriculture's Phillip Meto said the destruction of beetle breeding sites had not been completed and the emergency could be extended.

Two teams operating on a $US467,000 budget have been sent out to the affected area which includes Lelepa Island.

The operation involves destroying breeding sites, spreading community awareness and implementing quarantine zones.

The beetle has already devastated coconut plantations across the region and has started to impact areas in North East Efate.

A state of emergency order was put in place to control the movement of vessels and vehicles from the infested area.

However, the maritime regulator's legal adviser Lloyd Fikiasi told the Daily Post newspaper his office was not aware of the order, which was enforced by the Department of Biosecurity.

He said his office knows the threat of the rhinoceros beetle is very serious, but he was not aware of any state of emergency.

The Vanuatu Public Service Commission has approved the release of employees under each ministry to be engaged in the CRB State of Emergency that is currently happening at Mangaliliu.

About 100 officers from within these ministries are engaged in eradication programme.

The Government has declared a state of emergency in parts of the island of Efate due to an infestation of Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle.

The order covers north-west Efate, from Gideon’s Landing to Arar Point and parts of Lelepa island.

Storm Barry has been gathering speed over the Gulf of Mexico in recent days.

Officials say sustained wind speeds have grown to 50mph (80km/h) and may still reach hurricane strength by the time it makes landfall.

It is expected to bring a storm surge and heavy rainfall to the city of New Orleans - which has already seen thunderstorms and flash floods.

The National Weather Service warns that flooding from the slow-moving storm poses the greatest risk.

Penama provincial councillor James Bari has been living on Santo since the government ordered the evacuation of about 10,000 people from Ambae four months ago because of volcanic activity.

Mr Bari said the government had planned to lift the state of emergency on Ambae today but Ambaeans had not been updated.

"Until today we haven't heard anything yet from the government, and [do not know] whether the government will allow us to go back, or not yet. That's a big question all of us are asking now."

He also said he would make an initial €5m ($5.7m) available from central funds to the north-western region.

The regional government had requested the action following Tuesday's disaster, which left 39 people dead.

There has been anger and disbelief in Italy that such a vital structure could have simply given way.

Rescuers have said there is little hope of finding more survivors underneath the Morandi bridge, where dozens of vehicles fell from a height of 45m (148ft) in Tuesday morning's collapse.

PNG's national executive council on Friday declared a State of Emergency for the province, and a call-out of the Defence Force in the following unrest in the provincial capital

A curfew has been imposed in Mendi between 6pm to 6am, our correspondent Melvin Levongo said there was also a heavy police presence in town.

He said none of the local politicians have spoken out about the incident and church leaders are trying to help reassure people.

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.

About 1,200 military personnel have been deployed to support emergency services responding to the flooding.

In a statement announcing the 48-hour state of emergency, the city of Montreal said forecasts suggested that the situation would not be short-lived.

Environment Canada was warning that water levels in the Rivière des Prairies were expected to rise by 20 centimeters overnight, weakening dikes, breakwaters and dams set up in key areas to prevent water infiltration, the statement said.