Mount Nyiragongo Eruption 2002

A massive volcano eruption occurred at 08.25 local time 17/1/2002, at Mount Nyiragongo, which is situated in Virunga National Park, of Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The eruptions at Mount Nyiragongo are caused by the cracking of the Earth’s crust where two parts of the African Plate are breaking apart.

The eruption was triggered by an earthquake measuring 4.8 on the Richter scale that struck Mount Nyiragongo two weeks ago.

Approximately 45 people died during the eruption from asphyxiation and the collapsing of buildings. About 1/5 of Goma was destroyed by 2 major lava flows that are up to 2m thick and 100-400 wide. Parts of the airport, most of the business centre and the housing of an estimated 120, 000 people were swallowed by the lava. The eruption resulted in a massive exodus of 300 000 to 400 000 people, mostly into the nearby Rwanda. This was the first time ever that a volcano eruption with lava flows only caused such intense damage.

It is uncertain of the actions the national and Rwandan authorities have taken so far. The government of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) announced that it was ready to provide assistance to Goma. A spokesperson for the rebels that control the town said that help must come unconditionally, though. There was suspicion that the Congo government would probably manipulate the situation to its advantage by making them surrender in exchange for national support and aid.

It is fervently hoped that the Congo government and the rebels would put aside their grudges and cooperate to help the people get on with their lives, even though both parties shared an unpleasant history since long ago when they were tribes. It is a crucial time to help their fellow huaman beings and countrymen pull through. This is not a time to play political games, but to show their care and concern.  

Websites

http://pagesperso-orange.fr/mhalb/kivu/pdf/concorde_sept2003.pdf

Dr Patrick ALLARD (Laboratoire Pierre Süe, CNRS-CEA, Saclay, France)

Dr Peter BAXTER (University of Cambridge, United Kingdom)

Prof Michel HALBWACHS (Université de Savoie, Chambéry, France)

Dr Jean-Christophe KOMOROWSKI (Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, France),

Extracted 06/02/10

http://www.volcanolive.com/earthquakes.html, John Seach, extracted 06/2/10

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Nyiragongo unknown author, extracted 06/02/10

www.radixonline.org/resources/goma-final.doc Ben Wisner, extracted 06/02/10

Images taken from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/1768012.stm, unknown, taken 06/02/10

Image taken from http://www.volcanolive.com/nyiragongo.html, John Seach, taken 06/02/10
Image taken from http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Volcanoes/Africa/Maps/map_drcongo_volcanoes.html , USGS, taken 06/02/10

Image taken from http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/images/eafrica.gif taken 14/5/2010