Leaders in Sanma Province in Vanuatu say they are prepared to settle people escaping the volcanic eruptions on Ambrym if they get government help.
The Ambrym volcano Photo: WikiCommons
Sanma's President and Secretary General said for such a resettlement to succeed the government should buy land from customary owners and connect it with light and water first before bringing the people in.
In this way the new arrivals can be taken straight to their evacuation centre, which should be able to accommodate 1,000 people.
They said this was what they learned when they helped about 7,000 people forced off Ambae.
The offer comes as the government has ordered four villages with 700 inhabitants on Ambrym to relocate to safe zones within Ambrym.
They said should the situation with the volcanoes Marum and Benbow worsen, the island of Espiritu Santo has sufficient land to also accommodate the volcanic victims of Ambrym.