22 Mar 2010

Dead whale clears a Vanuatu village

7:18 pm on 22 March 2010

Over 100 people from the Saint Henri Catholic mission on south Pentecost in central Vanuatu evacuated their homes at the weekend, because of the odour from a decaying whale.

The 11 metre whale was already dead when it washed ashore last week.

A local Michel Buleman says the people from Saint Henri have gone to stay with relatives in other villages.

He says it is the first time such a large whale has been washed ashore there.

Mr Buleman says they don't know how the animal died but it's got a big cut on its back and a damaged jaw.