Emergency supplies to be sent to Vanuatu's Ambae

Vanuatu's National Disaster Management Office says it will get emergency supplies to those affected by Ambae's erupting volcano as soon as possible.

The eruptions have intensified over the past week with officials raising the alert level on Sunday.

Local NDMO reports said the renewed volcanic activity was leaving a heavier ash fall than the eruption last year.

It said three communities had been relocated and the central government has been asked for help.

The office's operations manager Peter Korisa said the main request has been for food and water, with ashfall affecting the local supply.

Mr Korisa said the NDMO now needed to confirm the number of people affected, as well as the volcano's impact on water and food supplies so they can respond effectively.

He said the assessment would start tomorrow, and it would be early next week at the earliest before food and water supplies could be shipped to the island.