DR Congo: Volcanic eruption feared

  1. Posted on Tuesday 12 May 2009 - 11:06
    Mforgham
    Image of Mforgham
    Solomon Tembang Mforgham, AfricaNews reporter in Limbe, Cameroon
    Fears are rife that Mount Nyamulagira in the Democratic Republic of Congo may soon erupt. This comes on the heels of a significant increased volcanic activity around Goma in the east of the country, recorded my scientists.
    brousse naturelle
    It would be recalled that in 2002, half of the city of Goma which lies 25km (16 miles) from the mountain was destroyed after the mountain erupted.

    One of the scientists, Dieudonne Wafula, is quoted to have said if the mountain erupted, there would, however, not be any instant danger to Goma. He nonetheless added that some rural roads could be cut off.

    Reports say the volcanoes loom over Goma, spewing smoke and steam even when they are not considered to be an immediate threat.

    Residents say by day, the air in the city is thick with volcanic dust. By night, residents can often see the red glow of burning lava trickling out of the summit of the nearest volcano, Mount Nyiragongo.

    Wafula is also quoted as saying significantly increased temperatures had been recorded around Mount Nyiragongo recently and a larger than usual cloud of volcanic dust was being thrown into the skies.

    However, he said, it was Mount Nyamulagira that was likely to erupt.

Latest News

  1. Kenya launches universal HPV vaccine access t…17/05As the world celebrates the Cervical Cancer Week, Kenya has taken a leap of faith by launching universal distribution of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) v…
  2. Malawi Electoral body appeals for ethical…17/05The Malawi Electoral Commission has challenged the media to follow ethical standards in the coverage of the 2014 tripartite elections to avoid fueling…
  3. Amplats to cut 6,000 jobs in South Africa10/05Top global platinum producer Anglo American Platinum announced on Friday that it will cut 6,000 jobs at its South African operations, in a move that r…
  4. Kofi Annan: Africa plundered by secret mining…10/05Tax avoidance, secret mining deals and financial transfers are depriving Africa of the benefits of its resources boom, ex-UN chief Kofi Annan has…
  5. Bomb blasts rock Libyan city of Benghazi10/05A bomb has exploded outside the a police station in the Libya's eastern city of Benghazi, Reuters news agency reports.
  6. Kenya calls on UN to drop Kenyatta trials10/05Kenya has written to the UN Security Council seeking to scrap the international crimes against humanity trials for President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Vi…
  7. Zanu PF Spruces up Voter Victimization…02/05Zanu PF has perfected its intimidation and coercive electoral machinery ahead of Zimbabwe’s next elections, an investigative visit to Mutoko…
  8. Africa Oil & Gas, Finance & Investment…02/05AME Trade Ltd are happy to announce the launch of the Africa Oil & Gas, Finance & Investment Forum (http://www.aogfi.com). This event is suppo…
  9. Cameroon: Anti-poaching Operations Intensified02/05Wildlife authorities in Cameroon arrested 20 suspects and confiscated 45 guns during a 10-day anti-poaching operation that targeted elephant poachers …
  10. Mugabe warns against foreign interference19/04Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has said he will not accept foreign interference during elections later this year.
  11. Cameroonian Scholar Wins 2013 'African He…19/04Internationally-recognised anthropologist, University of Cape Town's, UCT, Prof. Francis Beng Nyamnjoh was named African Hero of the Year for 201…
  12. SAA receives most on-time airline in the world…19/04South African Airways (SAA) has received two major endorsements from respected industry experts. In the first, SAA topped the list of the most on-time…
  13. Action Plan Launched to end preventable deaths…12/04UNICEF and the WHO have launched a new action plan tackling for the first time two of the three biggest killer diseases of children under five in Afri…
  14. Eurochannel picks EUTELSAT 16A to extend reach…12/04The range of channels broadcasting across sub-Saharan Africa via the EUTELSAT 16A satellite further increased today with the launch of Eurochannel, th…
  15. Madonna in bitter war of words with Malawi aft…12/04Pop star Madonna is causing a commotion in Malawi, days after her return from a goodwill trip to the nation. The singer is in a bitter feud with the …
News archive