The eruption has colored the sky over the city of Goma red and lava has flooded a major highway nearby. The authorities in Goma waited a long time to issue an official evacuation order, but thousands of residents still fled for fear of their own lives. So far, no injuries have been reported since the outbreak.
– Mount Nyiragongo colors the sky over Goma red on Saturday night. Photo: Olivia Acland / REUTERS
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The last time Mount Nyiragongo erupted was in 2002, when 250 people lost their lives and 120,000 became homeless.
The UN peacekeeping force in the area, MONUSCU, has shared dramatic aerial photos from the area on social media.
????????Volcanic activity around Goma: MONUSCO makes reconnaissance flights.
The lava does not appear to be heading towards the city of Goma. We remain on alert. pic.twitter.com/JQmz7v16Ne
– MONUSCO (@MONUSCO) May 22, 2021
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– The lava does not seem to move towards Goma. We maintain a high level of preparedness, the organization writes on Twitter.
On the way to the city center
While the eruption initially seemed to shield Goma, the eruption has now increased in scope. The lava has changed direction and is now on its way to the city of millions.
– Now Goma is the goal, says geologist Dario Tedesco Reuters.
– It is reminiscent of 2002. I think the lava is moving towards the city center. It may be stopping in time, it is difficult to predict, Tedesco adds.
In 2002, several nearby airports were flooded by lava. According to witnesses at the scene, the same thing is about to happen again. In addition, the lava must have reached the eastern part of the city.
Panic and chaos
Thousands of city residents have packed up what they can carry of their belongings and fled. Many take the relatively short trip to the border with Rwanda. Rwandan authorities say more than 3,500 Congolese readers crossed the border on Saturday.
– We panic because we have just seen the whole city lit up by something that is not electricity or lamps. We do not know what to do. We do not even know how to behave. There is no information, says John Kilosho.
– A number of residents of Gomo have decided to flee for fear of the outbreak. Photo: Olivia Acland / REUTERS
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Others head to Mount Goma, the city’s highest point.
– We ate when a friend of my father called him and asked him to take a look outside. He said the volcano had erupted and that we had to go to Mount Goma to escape the lava, Dorcas Mbulayi told Associated Press.
She was just a child the last time the volcano erupted, blaming the authorities for not informing about the eruption in time. Lack of official announcements and conflicting messages on social media have led to increased chaos and panic in the city of millions.
Threatens rare gorillas
Prime Minister Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde is taking action after the criticism, and has implemented an evacuation plan for the city.
– People are queuing to evacuate while the volcano lights up in the distance. Photo: @officialraphaelileso via AP
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– We hope that the measures we have implemented tonight will allow the population to reach the points presented in this evacuation plan, says the Prime Minister.
Located on the border between Congo and neighboring Rwanda, Goma is a center for many humanitarian aid organizations in the region. The volcanic eruption is also near Virunga National Park, home to some of the world’s last remaining mountain gorillas.
At the same time as Goma houses both aid workers and the UN peacekeeping forces, the area is also under constant threat from various armed guerrilla groups.
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