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Volcanic eruptions are common events worldwide. Africa is no exception to this rule. There are more than 100 young active volcanoes in Africa. The majority exist in Eastern Africa and the Rift Valley, but they can be found throughout the continent. One of these volcanoes erupted and causing widespread panic and fear. The Mount Nyiragongo volcano erupted in late May. This eruption occurred in Goma, a city of 2 million in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), The powerful eruption turned the sky red and sent sulfur into the air. Power went out in multiple parts of the city. Goma residents were concerned the city would be consumed by lava. Thousands began to make their way to the border with neighboring Rwanda.
Residents of Goma were alarmed and rightfully so by the volcanic eruption. In 2002,during the eruption of Mt. Nyiragongo, more than 250 people were killed and one-fifth of the city of Goma destroyed. Hundreds of thousands were forced to evacuate. Presently, authorities determined that the eruption did not immediately endanger the city. A more immediate challenge was reports of more than 61 earthquakes in a 24-hour period after the eruption. Tremors were felt more than 100 km away in Kigali, the Rwandan capital. It is estimated that more 400,000 people have fled and more than 31 people have been killed. The Goma region has six active volcanoes. Observers at the Goma Volcano Observatory have reported signals that a volcano was imminent. The observatories operations, however, have been challenged by claims of embezzlement and the retraction of funds by the World Bank.
Subsequent developments, including as second fracture in the volcano allowed lava to flow toward Goma. Authorities called on residents to remain calm. The region faces a number of challenges related to the volcano. Because of the proximity of the eruption to Lake Kivu, a liminic eruption could occur. This means an underwater eruption, the emission of toxic gas, and the possible introduction of volcanic ash into the drinking and washing water. Beyond the volcano, the DRC has suffered from ongoing violence since the end of the civil war in 2003. Armed groups have instilled fear in the eastern portion of the country. Hundreds have been killed and millions displaced. A surge of violence began in the beginning of the year. More than 300 people have been killed. UN peacekeepers and government troops have been ineffective in struggling to contain the violence. The Allied Democratic Focus (ADF), which formed in Uganda more than 20 years ago, is viewed as the primary culprit for the killings. They are believed to have launched a brutal set of reprisals on civilians. The death toll is estimated to be about 850 last year. This situation has led to a deepening humanitarian and displacement crisis in the country. More than 1.6 million people have been displaced and 2.8 million are in need of emergency assistance. In early June, politicians voted to extend martial law in the eastern portion of the country. This move comes after military administrations replaced civilian authorities in North Kivu and Ituri provinces.
The eruption of Mount Nyiragongo compounds an already dire situation in the DRC. The hope is that the world is more aware of the epic proportions of this crisis and will act in decisive ways to end it.