Transcript
The eruption of the Manaro volcano intensified over the past week, causing ash fall so severe that the sun was blocked.
The director of the Geohazards Department Esline Garaebiti says its staff are closely monitoring Manaro, which she says is in its fourth phase of activity since last September.
Each phase has seen an intensification of volcanic activity, with this month's eruption leaving the island blanketed in ash.
"We're seeing very significant impacts on the island at the moment. For that latest eruption, there's been heavy ashfall in the southern parts, while parts of the north were also affected. Our tehnical team on site has estimated about 200 millimetres of ash on some parts."
The Council of Ministers says the planned evacuation would be compulsory.
However a local MP, Jacob Mata, says some Ambae people will want to stay, and should be allowed to do so.
But the Internal Affairs Minister Andrew Napuat says this time it's different from the previous evacuation, earlier this year, which was a voluntary process.
"I think that the people might have been thinking that the situation will be stable, will be okay. At this stage it's very clear that the situation will only get worse in the days to come, and so it's important for the people to move out of the island. We are, as a government, the council of ministers have already made that decision for them to move. And we will be asking their co-operation to co-operate with us so that we can get them to safety."
Some of the population of up to 10,000 are already living on neighbouring islands Santo and Maewo after an earlier mass evacuation last year.
Most subsequently returned.
But with the recent activity and closure of services on island, the government wants everyone to leave, and plans to evacuate them all within two months
The government wants the people to evacuate to Maewo, but Jacob Mata says that island lacks the services to cater for them.
"You're talking about seven, eight, nine thousand people, with only six or seven (thousand) people on Maewo, and no water or electricity. That's the whole thing about the evacuation to Maewo. There is no health centre, there is nothing there."
He says it makes more sense for the people to move to Santo where there are more resources available, and where hundreds of Ambae people have already moved.
But Mr Napuat says the government assessment team has already identified land on Maewo where Ambae communities can be accommodated.
"It's all related to the provincial administrative concerns, and especially the support that's been given to the province, and also the cultural links that people have, and we want to continue to maintain that. And since the people of Maewo have offered to allow the people of Ambae to go there for the relocation, I think it's a good idea."
The minister says the government will create access to necessary infrastructure for the evacuees.
He says it will cost more than 18 million US dollars (2 billion vatu) to meet the evacuated communities' food ,water health, education and accomodation needs.
Mr Napuat says this will require help from Vanuatu's development partners.
