A giant plume of volcanic ash over the South Pacific prompted warnings to tourists and airlines early this week but caused only minor disruption to flights compared with recent chaos in Europe.
However, the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre in Wellington has issued a warning, that the ask cloud covering 100 nautical miles and almost two kilometres high could be a danger to flights.
Both airlines and tourists are being told of the dangers from ash and volcanic rocks from the erupting volcano on Vanuatu's Tana island and tourists are now banned from visiting the volcano which has been exploding and spitting lava and burning rocks. Officials are assessing whether to evacuate some 6,000 nearby villagers and the health of villagers who live close by is being monitored.
New Zealand officials have warned airlines to avoid the ash, which can seize up jet engines by being churned into glass, echoing the Iceland eruption which caused mass disruption in Europe including a week-long shutdown.
"The Mount Yasur volcano on Tanna island has been very active the last three days and the eruption is ongoing," said Tristan Oakley, an aviation forecaster with New Zealand's Meteorological Service.
Peter Korisa of Vanuatu's National Disaster Management Office said ash in the volatile region, which sits on the "Pacific Ring of Fire" known for its volcanic and seismic activity, was contaminating drinking water for villagers
"Last week we recorded a very high activity for the volcano with hot lava, hot rocks falling from the volcano," he reported.
"There are 6,000 people in the villages around the volcano, we're not moving them out yet. All tourists and tourist operators have been asked to not access the volcano."
Flights operated by New Caledonia's AirCal have been disrupted, although disruption remains tiny compared with the havoc seen in Europe.
Tourism officials also said the industry was unaffected so far, and Air Vanuatu local supervisor David Dick said flights were still running between the South Pacific country's capital, Port Vila, and Tanna island, Resort-owners said tourists were still driving out to see the volcano but had to keep their distance, while the trucks carrying them returned covered with ash.
"They can get to the volcano, but are restricted and don't have access to where we usually take them," said Lina Tuprick, who works at Tanna Evergreen Bungalows.
"There are explosions on the volcano. It's the first time in two years it's been so active."
Australia has also issued a travel advisory warning that visitors were strictly prohibited from visiting the volcano.
Vanuatu was rocked by a 7.2-magnitude earthquake on Friday, 28th of May, prompting a brief tsunami warning. The archipelago, which lies between Australia and Fiji and north of New Zealand, was hit by three major quakes in October.
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