SUVA, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Vanuatu government has decided to repatriate over 11,000 people of Ambae back to their island and villages from Saturday, as the Manaro volcano has stabilized, according to Vanuatu's Daily Post on Friday.
Geology and Mines Minister Ralph Regenvanu said on Friday that the Vanuatu government will control the repatriation process which is expected to take three days.
The evacuees were moved off earlier in October after the Manaro volcano began erupting and threatened food and water supplies on their island. The repatriation will depend on the logistic plan prepared by the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO).
The government has also agreed to extend the state of emergency to facilitate the repatriation. An NDMO assessment team was on Ambae to make observation and report to the government if it was safe for the displaced families to return home.
Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai travelled to Santo, Pentecost and Maewo islands on Thursday to visit the evacuees.
Manaro, Vanuatu's largest volcano, has been raining rock and ash on villages over the past weeks.
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 activity.
