A major, Dunkirk-Style Evacuation was called for as the Vanuatu Government ordered all 11,000 islanders on the northern Island of Ambae to be evacuated by October 6 in the wake of a volcanic eruption that polluted most of the island’s sources of drinking water.

The Manaro Voui volcano, the nation’s largest, stirred to life in September, hurling steam and rocks into the air and spewing burning ash, toxic gas and acid rain, threatening island residents and polluting many of the island’s water sources leaving thousands of people in need of safe drinking water.

A flotilla of boats that included ferries, canoes and commercial vessels rescued islanders, picking them up from at least three evacuation points on the island and ferrying them to the relative safety of surrounding islands Maewo, Pentecost and Santo.

In excess of 6000 people went to emergency shelters on the South Pacific island in preparation for the total evacuation and many of the locals were seen camping out on hillsides while calmly waiting for ships to ferry them to safety.

According to New Zealand volcanologist Brad Scott:

“Maybe about every 8 to 10 seconds there was an explosion, throwing lava bombs up maybe 50 to 100 metres above the crater and there’s also two small lava flows that are flowing across the island into the lake as well.”

Approximately 1000 people were moved off the island over the 24 hours to Sunday evening, and the evacuations continued with help from all over. Australia sent amphibious Bay Class landing ship HMAS Choules on Saturday to help move the population and some islanders flew out; others moved to stay with friends or relatives in the capital, Port Vila.

Apart from the major reason for the evacuation – polluted drinking water – there was also another worry, the deadly threat of a lahar: a boiling mud flow down the side of the mountain, from Lake Voui, which is directly on top of the eruption.

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