Major Evacuation Continues at Ambae

VANUATU’S Disaster Management Office (NDMO) is still in Ambae conducting the major scale evacuation and that the Manaro Volcano remains on level four alert.

Speaking to the Independent Online, NDMO Director Shadrack Welegtabit said the NDMO is working with the Penama Provincial government to move people out of high risk areas to the areas that they considered low-risk rated.

“The evacuation process is still going on – maybe today or tomorrow it will be completed,” he said.

“We want to complete the evacuation as soon as possible.

“The indication that came in is that we’ve moved over 6000 people already.”

Mr Welegtabit said the NDMO evacuated the people living in the south and north areas to go to east and west parts of the island.

“The first shipment of the food and water will be coming to Ambae today by RVS Tukoro, with other supplies like tarpaulins,” he said.

“The government has given VT 200 million and the NDMO will use it for humanitarian response.”

He said there are many people camping in schools and other places and this money will be used for looking after them in terms of food and water.

RVS Tukoro will be heading directly to West Ambae to bring 30 members of the Vanuatu Mobile Force (VMF) and supplies to help the locals that were evacuated.

After that, Tukoro will be heading to Luganville in Santo to pick up another VMF group with 30 members and will be dropping them at Lolowai in East Ambae.

This followed a decision made by the government of Vanuatu to make sure that the people being evacuated will no longer go back to their communities due to the danger the volcano has caused. The VMF is also to provide security for the people’s property that has been left behind.

Mr Welegtabit said the NDMO is aware that the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) will be conducting an aerial survey of the Manaro Volcano and other volcanoes in Vanuatu.

“This was organised by the New Zealand High Commissioner.”