Nyiragongo Eruption - and Nyamulagira (July 2002) Update August 2004 - Update November 2006
On 17 January 2002, the volcano Nyiragongo in eastern Congo erupted.
It is situated within the southern sector of the Virunga National Park
and is one of the western Virunga Volcanoes. While the eastern Virunga
Volcanoes, where the mountain gorillas live, have been inactive for a
long time, the western volcanoes are still active and erupt regularly.
When Nyiragongo erupted, the lava flowed to Goma in a single stream and
finally covered about a fifth of the town. It was estimated that more
than 100 people died and about 350,000 lost their homes and property.
At least 16,000 homes were destroyed. As the volcano erupted during the
harvest, much the food that was grown on the rich soils was lost too.
It is not only Goma which depends on that food but also other regions
of eastern Congo. The UN and relief organizations provided humanitarian
support. Within less than two weeks, contributions to aid volcano victims
in Goma had reached US$ 26 million, the UN reported. The contributions
were initially aimed at meeting the most basic needs of the affected population.
Claude Sikubwabo Kiyengo was not hurt, but he had to flee and lost his
computer in one of the houses buried under the lava. In the meantime,
a new one donated by a supporter of Berggorilla & Regenwald Direkthilfe
was handed over to him. As e-mail access providers were also hit by the
eruption, communication with North Kivu was cut for a long time.
Over three months after Mt. Nyiragongo erupted, people still were continuing
to return to Goma. Many had been living in Rwanda for a few months and
had nowhere to go. Their homes had been destroyed during the eruption
and some were using tree branches and leaves to erect temporary shelters.
Many people in Goma also lost their jobs after the eruption and schools
were unable to resume classes until nearly a month after the volcano had
erupted. In the meantime, relief organizations have continued to build
schools and houses.
According to World Vision, five months after the eruption, small
stalls selling sweets, cigarettes, and vehicle fuel were popping up across
the lava, and business owners were raising their buildings of twisted
metal and concrete to begin again. Unemployment has escalated, producing
a massive drop in wages and non-essential business. The volcano eruption
hit a region that has already been suffering for years.
Summary of various press releases
Mt. Nyamulagira erupts on 25 July 2002
Six months after the eruption of Mt. Nyiragongo, the other active volcano started to blow lava 100 m high. The lava flow was directed to the north in the direction of the villages Sake and Tongo. It destroyed large parts of the national park. Later the volcano discarded sulphur gas that was blown in western direction to the Masisi region.
The Nyamulagira erupted again on 8 May 2004.
Update: 25 August 2004
According to an UN report, emissions of gas, ash and cinders from Nyiragongo and Nyamulagira are causing health problems for an estimated 60,000 people in the mountains' immediate vicinity. "About 30,000 km² of land west of the volcanoes has been destroyed by the fallout", Kasereka Mahinda, the head of the Department of Geophysics at the Volcanic Observatory of the Centre de Recherche en Sciences Naturelles in Goma, said. He told that Nyiragongo was emitting between 18,000 and 51,000 mt of cinders a day that include sulphur dioxide, chloride and fluoride. The emissions also have an "acid rain" effect on the environment and in the last two years agricultural production decreased by an estimated 60%. Some 5,000 km² in the Virunga National Park have been destroyed. There are also risks of further eruptions, but they cannot be predicted more than a month in advance.
Update: 27 November 2006
Mount Nyamulagira erupted and lava has been flowing away from the direction of Goma. There was no immediate danger to Goma after the eruption because Mount Nyirangongo is acting as a barrier against lava reaching the city.
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