DRC: Erupting Volcano Causes Destruction and Disarray

A volcano in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) violently erupted on Saturday night, 22 May, causing nearby citizens to flee the smoke and lava.

Mount Nyiragongo is situated near the major city of Goma in the North Kivu province of the central African country – thankfully, the molten rock halted the following day near the centre, which consists of roughly two million people.

Local authorities confirmed that at least 15 deaths – nine of the tally are those fleeing the oncoming lava flow – have occurred, but the toll is expected to rise as rescue operations sift through the destruction for survivors.

The trail of havoc stopped on the outskirts of Goma, but the buildings caught in its wake are likely to take months to rebuild. Miraculously, the city’s airport was spared.

The mountain – considered one of the world’s most active and dangerous – still haunts the memories of those who saw it violently explode in early 2002, which left 245 people dead and approximately 120 000 homeless.

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