Vanuatu volcano eruption to cause residents to leave island PERMANENTLY
AN island in the South Pacific is to be permanently evacuated due to a volcano which refuses to lie dormant.
Huge plumes of ash spew from Vanuatu volcano on Ambae island
The government of Vanuatu is to remove all 13,000 residents of the island of Ambae after declaring yet another state of emergency this week thanks to the rumbling of volcano Mount Monaro.
Tons of ash and gas has been spewing from the volcano in days - the second time in a space of a year this has happened.
Parts of the island are covered in up to 30 centimetres of ash, leaving residents complaining of breathing difficulties and skin reactions.
As the ash rises into the clouds, it makes the rain much heavier which has also led to the collapse of several buildings on the island.
Residents were evacuated from the island, which is one of 83 that makes up Vanuatu, in September last year as Mount Monaro murmured, but the government is now set to make the evacuations permanent.
Andrew Parker, head of Unicef in Vanuatu, said: “The government does not wish to get into an endless evacuation and repatriation circuit and hence is looking at the reality that Ambae’s volcanoes are not likely to become totally dormant in the short term.”
Authorities are in talks with Ambae’s closest islands Maewo and Pentecos about relocating Ambae’s residents.
But locals are frustrated and believe that they are not getting the immediate help they need.
Nadia Kanegai, a community leader on Ambae told Radio New Zealand, said: “They are really desperate for help.
“Part of west Ambae was covered and it was dark because of the smoke and the population there was remaining inside and could not come outside. And there was a gas emission as well. So the people are scared.”
Local priest William Bice added: “I think if we live from now up until next week without any assistance from the government, I think a lot of people will starve and a lot of people will die because of no food.”