DRC: Nyiragongo volcano, near Goma, erupts
Images of the Nyiragongo volcano, near Goma in the DRC, suddenly became active on Saturday, May 22, 2021. AFP - JUSTIN KITUMWA
Text by: RFI Follow
4 min
The famous Nyiragongo volcano, near the city of Goma, in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), suddenly became active on Saturday evening.
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Strong emanations of red light - coming out of the crater - are visible from Goma.
Sulfur smells are perceptible in the city.
In an audio recording transmitted to AFP, the military governor of the province of North Kivu "
confirmed the eruption of the Nyiragongo volcano since May 22 at around 7 pm
" local.
"
The investigations are underway and the population must follow the guidelines of the civil protection
", declared General Constant Ndima, calling for "
calm
".
Shortly before the eruption of the volcano was confirmed, Joseph Makundi, the director of Civil Protection of North Kivu, explained to RFI that the Goma Volcanic Observatory was carrying out investigations.
For now, the Goma Volcanological Observatory is carrying out an investigation to give reliable information to the governor, in order to deny or confirm the eruption.
But right now we are on red alert.
Joseph Makundi, Director of Civil Protection of North Kivu
Alexandra Brangeon
Panic movements could be observed in Goma itself, where residents began to rush home, watching with concern the crater and the red lights coming from the north of the city, AFP reports.
The city of Goma is located on the southern flank of the volcano, on the shores of Lake Kivu.
#Nyiragongo volcano is erupting đą pic.twitter.com/6z0dkF3hRP
- Charles Balagizi (@CharlesBalagizi) May 22, 2021
Electricity was cut off in much of the city and hundreds of residents, often with families, were heading on foot, by motorbike or by car to the nearby Rwandan border.
The last eruption of Nyiragongo, over 3,000 meters high, dates back to January 17, 2002. It caused the death of more than a hundred people, covering almost the entire eastern part of Goma with lava, including half of it. city ââairport runway.
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