Following the eruption on Friday last week, over 500 men, women and children have been evacuated to nearby Ruprup Island.
However East Sepik Governor Allan Bird says that number might increase given Ruprup and neighbouring Biam Island are also volcanic islands.
“We are not talking about the evacuation of Kadovar, but Ruprup and Biam as well. We’re looking at evacuating over 5000 people,” Bird said.
The immediate priority as Governor Bird said are relief supplies and a shipping vessel will deliver first supplies tomorrow morning.
“South Sea Tuna in Wewak have a vessel on standby, and as we are speaking food supplies given from the Prime Minister’s Department are being loaded and by tomorrow the ship leaves for Ruprup,” Bird said.
In the meantime the Governor said they are also planning ahead if continuous eruptions trigger a tsunami.
“We are preparing for the worst. And we will have to get the message out to the communities so that they are aware of the threat,” Bird said.
In the meantime, the PNGDF have deployed two ships and a helicopter to the disaster area to assist.
