WELLINGTON, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand Foreign Minister Gerry Brownlee on Friday announced a further New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF) C-130 flight to Vanuatu to deliver relief supplies for communities evacuated from Vanuatu's erupting volcano.
"The Vanuatu government has completed the precautionary evacuation of Ambae and more than 10,000 people are now in temporary accommodation on other islands," Brownlee said in a statement.
"New Zealand is committed to helping the government of Vanuatu meet the needs of those who have been evacuated and we are working closely with the local authorities and international partners to coordinate our response," Brownlee said.
A second C-130 flight will depart for Vanuatu on Friday carrying 100,000 NZ dollars (70,939 U.S. dollars) of relief supplies, such as mother-and-infant kits, hygiene kits, and chemical toilets, he said.
"This will bring our total contribution to 670,000 NZ dollars (475,290 U.S. dollars) and builds on the technical assistance and supplies we have already provided," the minister said, adding, "We will continue to work with the government of Vanuatu over the coming days to determine how we can assist further."
On Tuesday, the NZDF transported 12 tons of aid supplies for the thousands of evacuees who have fled Vanuatu's erupting volcano, according to a military statement.
Manaro's eruption intensified in late September, prompting the Vanuatu authorities to raise the alert level to four and order the compulsory evacuation of Ambae's 11,000 residents by Friday. Alert levels range from 0 to 5, with level 5 indicating a large-scale eruption.
The NZDF last week conducted an aerial survey of Manaro volcano to help Vanuatu's National Disaster Management Office determine if a large eruption was imminent. The aerial survey found huge columns of smoke, ash and volcanic rocks billowing from the crater of Manaro volcano.
The NZDF supported disaster relief efforts in Vanuatu following the devastation caused by Tropical Cyclone Pam in 2015, the statement said.
