Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo – Mount Nyiragongo erupted for the first time since 2002 on Saturday night. Thousands fled as lava approached Goma, a city of nearly 2 million people.
Lava in Mount Nyiragongo’s crater before the eruption on 22 May 2021
Many fled to the Rwandan border just outside the city. Immigration authorities reported that some 3,000 people had officially crossed over from Congo to escape the eruption, according to the national broadcaster. Some residents sought refuge on boats on Lake Kivu or on Mount Goma, the highest point in the city environs. No casualties have been reported.
On Sunday morning, officials reported that lava had reached the airport on the outskirts of Goma on the shores of Lake Kivu. By mid morning it appeared to have stopped flowing.
The city of Goma lies at the foot of the active volcano, Mount Nyiragongo – Source Wikimedia
Mount Nyiragongo last erupted on 17 January 2002 and lava flowed into the city of Goma. There was very little warning as fissures opened on the side of the volcano and lava flowed reaching speeds of 60km/h. As many as 100 people died, mostly from poisonous gas and becoming trapped in lava. Nearby villages were destroyed and covered about 15% of the city. A 1977 eruption killed no less than 600 people. Mount Nyiragongo has erupted at least 34 times since 1882.
Goma sits on the border between Congo and Rwanda. It is a hub for various humanitarian organisations, as well as a U.N. peacekeeping mission known as MONUSCO. Mount Nyiragongo is close to Virunga National Park, famous for its small population of mountain gorillas.
