Transcript
A team of vulcanologists trekked to the summit of Manaro volcano and says the landscape has been transformed by the latest ash fall.
Although the north and east of Ambae have experienced heavy ash fall in recent days, the Geohazards Department is maintaining the threat level at two with a low to moderate chance of increased intensity.
But it said the latest activity is a reminder the island's volcano remains unstable.
The department's Esline Garaebiti said last Monday's eruption was part of the third phase of activity which began on June 21.
She said the eruption caused a plume of ash and smoke around 6,000 metres high.
Ms Garaebiti said locals and even some on surrounding islands were impacted from the ash.
"It's unpredictable. All we know is that the system is unstable and at anytime we will expect this type of eruption and according to the recording that we have, the assessment data we are recording on that island, the activity is still ongoing."
Vanuatu's Daily Post newspaper reports all roads to West Ambae are cut and massive mud flows have washed away the roads in two locations.
It means the entire west side of the island is accessible only by sea or air.
The Red Cross has now taken aid - including items like tarpaulins, hygiene kits and water containers - for 1000 families to Ambae and more could follow.
Disaster Management Coordinator Augustin Garae said the unpredictable nature of the volcano and the possibility of further evacuations meant the Red Cross had to wait to get to Ambae.
"We were waiting for the government to give us the green light or whether people would start moving but I can confirm that now, to date, there is no relocation to the [other] islands so we are looking at conducting this emergency response on the island."
Mr Garae said people on Ambae are remarkably resilient .
"They are adapting to the situation. Like where from where I am staying now, though it was not heavy ash fall, but people they are lucky. They are going like their normal daily lives, in their gardens, and it seems like there is nothing that I can see that people are being effected or they have felt the impacts of this ash. They are saying 'oh it's fine, we know we can cope with this situation."
Meanwhile, 17 leaders on Ambae have sent a courier to the government, urging it to minimise the suffering the ongoing eruption is causing their people who have already been relocated to schools on Maewo and Santo Islands.
They say they are concerned over a lack of food and the poor living conditions endured by people who have moved to neighbouring Maewo and Santo.