SUVA, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Vanuatu's Council of Ministers has authorized the government to secure a permanent resettlement for the 11,000 people affected by the Manaro Voui volcano on the Ambae Island by the end of this May.
According to Vanuatu's Daily Post newspaper on Monday, the Council of Ministers admitted the constant ash fall from the island's Manaro Voui volcanic crater is beyond its capacity, and has forced it to seek international help for response fund.
The council also gave its assurance that all emergency funds will be processed through the National Treasury.
The Vanuatu government said that families on the Ambae Island are struggling to live due to the heavy volcanic ash fall. Initially the ash fall affected the south and western parts of the island, but due to wind changes, the ash fall has spread through the north and eastern parts of the island as well, destroying food sources and other vegetation.
Last week, the Council of Ministers declared a state Of emergency over the Ambae Island.
It was planning another mass evacuation as houses and trees are collapsing due to the weight of the ash while many locals have suffered health issues.
There has been increasing activities from the Manaro Voui volcano for the past month, although the mountain remained active since last September's major eruption.
Families whose homes, water supplies and crops are damaged by the ash falls and acid rain will be evacuated to other islands like Maewo and Pentecost.
Jesse Benjamin, director general of Vanuatu's Ministry of Climate Change and Natural Disaster, said that the ongoing ash fall has taken its toll on homes and livestock and it was no longer safe for people to live on the island.
The National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) will act on behalf of the government and coordinate response efforts closely with other sectors such as agriculture, water, education and non-government organisations.
The volcano has been active since 2005.
