The Niragongo volcano has caused panic in the city of Goma in eastern Congo. Residents ran back to their homes, worried about the view of the crater and the sky in the north, which has been painted red.
Many residents are trying to flee to Rwanda to escape. In the city, located on the shores of Lake Kovo, red flashes can be seen from the crater, while the smell of sulfur is strong. At the moment, no lava flow is visible, nor has any seismic vibration been felt.
“The sky is red. There is a strong smell. We see from afar huge flames springing from the mountain. But there are no vibrations. The sirens have not sounded either so far, “said Karin Bala, a resident.
Electricity has been cut off in much of the city and hundreds of people, men, women and children, are heading on foot or by car to the Rwandan border.
“People are leaving or preparing to leave,” said another resident: some carrying their mattresses, others carrying their children… Apart from Rwanda, some are seeking refuge west in the Masisi area. “I took the children and we leave by car. “There is a risk of lava coming to Goma, you never know,” explained one resident.
The government has said it is closely monitoring the situation in Goma and Niragongo volcanic activity, urging residents to stay calm.
On January 17, 2002, Niragongo exploded, covering almost all of eastern Goma with lava, including half of the city’s airport runway. The deadliest explosion occurred in 1977, when more than 600 people were killed.
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