Week 4 - Volcano (Nyiragongo Volcano, Goma, DRC)

Mount Nyiragongo, Goma, Republic Democratic fu Congo

The Nyiragongo volcano is a result of the very dynamic crust under the East African Rift Valley and is part of the Virunga Volcanic Chain. The mountain is in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and is neighboring the northern border with Rwanda. It is considered by many as Africa’s most active volcanoes. At this section of the Rift, sections of crust have been pushed up, arched and violently broken. This rich geological activity has engendered a land that is under stress, with more than 30 active volcanoes in the region.

One of Nyiragongo’s eruptions, I have witnessed. In mid-January 2002, Nyiragongo's major effusive eruption destroyed an essential part of the town of Goma where we used to go for weekends/holidays. Goma is located just 50 km to the South of the volcano. During this eruption, new craters were created, as lava flowed from the flanks. The particularity of the lava found in Nyiragongo's lava lake, is different, as it is much less viscous, with high alkaline composition, and is believed to be fed by a plume under the volcano.

A very Fluid a Fast Magma, which contributes to making the most dangerous active volcano

In 2002 therefore, the city of Goma’s infrastructure was considerably destroyed by encroaching flames and lava. It has not fully recovered since.
It is a volcano that is continuously monitored as this still active and the hazard it poses are real and could be catastrophic. Indeed, Nyiragongo’s lava is super fluid and can move fast. The lava lake it has in the crate is rather thick, meaning there is a large volume of this lava available. The lava lake is perched at the top of a very tall and steep-sided stratovolcano, which continually threatens to break the flanks of the volcano as it happened in the past (1977).