Volcano erupts near Congolese city of Goma; residents flee
Authorities in Congo say Mount Nyiragongo has erupted for the first time in nearly two decades
Your support helps us to tell the story
As your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.
Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn't have the resources to challenge those in power.
Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November election
Andrew Feinberg
White House Correspondent
Congo’s Mount Nyiragongo erupted for the first time in nearly two decades Saturday, turning the night sky a fiery red and sending lava onto a major highway as panicked residents tried to flee Goma, a city of nearly 2 million.
No evacuation order was given by authorities, and there was no immediate word on any casualties. Witnesses, though, said lava already had engulfed one highway that connects Goma with the city of Beni in North Kivu province.
Mount Nyiragongo’s last eruption, in 2002, left hundreds dead and coated airport runways in lava.
Authorities at the Goma Volcano Observatory initially said it was the nearby Nyamulagira volcano that had erupted, only adding to the confusion. The two volcanos are located about 13 kilometers (8.1 miles) apart.
Volcanologist Charles Balagizi said the observatory’s report was based on the direction in which the lava appeared to be flowing, which was toward Rwanda rather than Goma.
Goma sits along the border between Congo and neighboring Rwanda, and is a regional hub for humanitarian agencies, as well as the U.N. peacekeeping mission known as MONUSCO.
___
This version has been corrected to show that the Goma Volcano Observatory now reports that Mount Nyiragongo was the volcano that erupted, not the nearby Nyamulagira.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.