Papua New Guinea says it is helping evacuate thousands of people at risk from a volcanic eruption in the South Pacific Island nation's north.

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said in a statement on Monday that he has directed all relevant state resources be made available to support the evacuation of people at risk due to volcanic eruptions on Kadovar Island in the East Sepik region.

He also warns northern coastal communities to be alert for a tsunami resulting from volcanic activity.

Australian Broadcasting Corp. reports 3,000 people are being evacuated from an island near Kadovar, where giant plumes of ash have forced around 700 people to be evacuated in the past week.