SUVA, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- The threat level of the Manaro Voui volcano on Vanuatu's island of Ambae was downgraded on Friday as it appeared to be stabilizing.
Esline Garaebiti, manager of Vanuatu's Geohazards Department, announced on Friday that the alert level for the volcano was dropped to level three of minor eruption from level four, the second-highest, according to Radio New Zealand.
"It is erupting with less ash at the moment but there are still some explosions," she said. "There'll be de-gassing that will continue for some time, but the level of risk and risk areas is reduced," she said.
She said the decision on whether the downgrading means the more than 10,000 people evacuated from Ambae can return will be made by the Vanuatu government.
It is believed that it will take weeks for the evacuees from Ambae to return home as ashfall has killed crops and contaminated water supplies in the island.
The evacuation order was made last week when the alert was raised to level 4 and the volcano was raining rock and ash across many parts of the island.
On Wednesday, the Vanuatu authorities successfully evacuated the entire population, of about 11,600 people, from the island of Ambae. The majority have found refuge in 36 evacuation centers scattered around Luganville, Santo. Besides Santo, the rest of the islanders have been evacuated to the islands of Maewo, Pentecost and the state's capital of Port Vila.
According to Vanuatu's Daily Post on Friday, Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai on Friday visited some Ambae evacuees. He thanked them for accepting and respecting the decision made by the Council of Ministers to evacuate and pledged his government's commitment to looking after them until their return.
The Manaro Voui volcano, Vanuatu's largest, has been raining rock and ash on villages over the past weeks and a state of emergency was declared by the government on Sept. 25 on the island of Ambae.
The last significant eruption on the Ambae island happened in 2005.
Vanuatu lies on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" where tectonic plates collide, causing frequent seismic and volcanic activities.
