Maewo expected to host 2500 evacuees

The number of evacuees from Ambae to be hosted by Maewo, is expected to increase to 2,500.

This number was relayed by the President of PENAMA Province, Alban Garae, to the Maewo Response Management Team (MRMT) set to manage hosting of the evacuees, when he visited Maewo last Friday to speak with the MRMT members and to see some preparation work for welcoming the evacuees.

He also saw the evacuation center set up at Gambule School-from which the evacuees will be dispatched to different parts of the island.

Maewo has four ward councils and each of them will host around 500 plus people.

Coordinator of the MRMT, Ezekiel Boelum says the President of Penama told them the evacuees to go to Maewo will mostly be from nearby East Ambae and they will be the final groups to leave the island after evacuation of those to Santo, Malekula and Pentecost, and that the number will likely increase to 2500 people. He said the evacuees can be expected around October 3.

The President also saw the evacuation center and the preparation work in progress to receive the evacuees.

“On Saturday, we, members of the MRMT, accompanied by water and sanitation people, made visits to villages in the north to Nasawa in south central part of the island to provide awareness to the people about the impending arrival of the evacuees and to see community halls and other facilities that will be used to house our guests,” he added.

Already there are over 50 people, families from Ambae, who have arrived on Maewo to seek safety from the eruptions of Lombenben volcano that has caused the evacuation of everyone on the island.