14 Aug 2018

Vanuatu's Ambae Island completely evacuated

12:47 pm on 14 August 2018

Vanuatu's government says the island of Ambae has been completely evacuated.

Ambae volcano ash

Photo: Philippe Carillo - Fusion productions Ltd

The director general of the climate change ministry, which is responsible for disaster management, says all the island's 10,000 residents are now on Maewo or Santo.

The order to abandon the island came from the government a month ago, after the eruption from the island's volcano re-intensified, blanketing the island in ash and toxic fumes.

Jesse Benjamin said the government had evacuated more than 3000 people to Santo, and 2,600 people are now on Maewo.

Mr Benjamin said the rest of the people evacuated themselves.

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