Thousands evacuated to emergency shelters as Vanuatu volcano threatens to erupt

SYDNEY – More than 6,000 people have been moved to emergency shelters on Vanuatu's northern island Ambae in the South Pacific as a volcano threatens to erupt, officials said on Tuesday.

The volcano, known as Manaro Voui, stirred earlier this month but intensified over the weekend to begin emitting ash and volcanic gas, triggering fears of an imminent eruption, Vanuatu's National Disaster Management Office said.

Authorities have established 15 emergency sites, but the large-scale evacuation was straining supplies, said Shadrack Welegtabit, director of the National Disaster Management Office.