12 Oct 2017

Bad weather stops PM's visit to Maewo evacuees

3:00 pm on 12 October 2017

Heavy rain and bad weather have prevented dignitaries visiting evacuees on the Vanuatu island of Maewo.

Vanuatu's Charlot Salwai.

Vanuatu's Charlot Salwai. Photo: RNZ/Koroi Hawkins

The prime minister Charlot Salwai was today planning to visit the 500 people who are being hosted on the island after they had to leave their home of Ambae because of volcanic unrest.

Mr Salwai and the Minister of Climate Change Ham Lini were not able to land at Maewo's airport and went on to Santo where more than 7,000 evacuees are housed.

Mr Salwai met with the National Disaster Management Office authorities on Santo as well as the leaders of evacuation camps there.

He gave them an update on the state of emergency and the volcano.

The state of emergency has been extended for a further two weeks.

Manaro volcano remains at level 3 on the five level scale after it was lowered from level 4 on Friday.

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