Vanuatu orders full evacuation of Ambae island as volcano threatens to erupt

Smoke emanates from the Manaro Voui volcano located on Vanuatu's northern island Ambae in the South Pacific, in this aerial photo taken on September 26, 2017. New Zealand Defence Force/Handout via REUTERS

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Vanuatu on Thursday ordered the full evacuation of the South Pacific nation's northern island of Ambae as a volcano there threatened to erupt.

The volcano, known as Manaro Voui, began emitting ash and volcanic gas last weekend, triggering concerns of an imminent eruption and forcing Vanuatu to move more than half of Ambae's population to emergency shelters on the island.