A state of emergency has been declared on Vanuatu's Ambae, as the island becomes uninhabitable amid a continuing volcanic eruption.
The Council of Ministers says it is planning another mass evacuation of the island's 11,000 residents, and a taskforce is said to be negotiating resettlement on nearby Maewo and Pentecost.
On Ambae, houses and trees are collapsing under the weight of the toxic ash being dumped across the island, food and water supplies are contaminated, and a raft of health issues have been reported.
An Ambae community leader, Nadia Kanegai, told Sara Vui-Talitu while the news is welcome the people need more details.
Damage to vegetation from heavy ashfall during continued eruptions of Vanuatu's Ambae volcano, March 2018
Photo: RNZ Pacific
Transcript
NADIA KANEGAI: The people of Ambae, they have been waiting for that for quite some time because South Ambae was totally destroyed with ashfall and you know nothing can grow there. There was thick ash on the ground and the animals don't have anything to eat and even the people so they all moved to east Ambae. Then you have east Ambae who have experienced the same thing out there. And they are experiencing shortfall of food and water because the ash was coming down so thick that it was getting into the water wells and they are really desperate for water. Also the other thing too we have for east Ambae and north Ambae. North Ambae has now been experiencing a similar situation and we have also east Ambae which is currently starting to experience this situation. We have got schools in a number of areas closed, west Ambae the schools are closed and south Ambae schools are also closed and yeah we are waiting on the government to make a plan so we can get our families either to Pentecost or Maewo
SARA VUI-TALITU: So basically get them off island, off Ambae
NK: Yes that is correct.
SV: So why has there been such a delay? We have been running stories on the ashfall there for a while now.
NK: I can't say anything as I really don't know as it is in the government's hands to organise the transportation and all that. Actually the committee of Ambae in Port Vila in the first evacuation we were heavily involved. But then we were sort of summoned to the police station and told we shouldn't be interfering into what the NDMO is doing. And also we were given a letter by NDMO. So the people of Ambae in Port Vila, we were waiting to hear what the government says and if nothing happens by next week maybe we can sort of put ourselves or organise ourselves together.
SV: How are people faring there? Do you know?
NK: They are not good actually. They are really desperate for help. South Ambae has moved to east Ambae. And the ash was falling like yesterday, part of west Ambae was covered and it was so dark because of the smoke. And the population there were remaining in the house all the time. They couldn't come outside and there was gas emissions as well. So the people are scared and they feel that they do need to move out but are waiting on the government to see what the government can do to help the people and then the people of Ambae can organise themselves to see how else they can help.
SV: And what about people's health?
NK: The health issue? Yes yes they do have health issues. Like the health officer was saying that the ash was falling and the breathing and its affecting the kids as well. And also I was told too that they were having some skin problems with the ashfall and so I'm trying myself to do more to organise things myself to see what we can do.
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