Experts say although volcano is barely 40 kilometres northwest of the city of Goma, there are as yet no plans to evacuate the population
DAKAR (AlertNet) - The most active volcano in Africa has erupted but the lives of the people in settlements near Mount Nyamulagira in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo are not in danger, Radio Okapi has reported.
Experts say that although the volcano is barely 40 kilometres northwest of the city of Goma, there are as yet no plans to evacuate the population.
The lava flow from the eruption which started late on Sunday is heading towards the Virunga National park, the U.N.-backed radio station said.
Mount Nyirangongo, located 20 kilometres north of Goma, and Lake Kivu serve as natural barriers between the Nyamulagira and the city, said Deogratias Kavota Kalenda, an expert at Goma Volcanic Observatory.
“The little threat we have is that every time the Nyamulagira erupts it emits volcanic ash. We have to watch out for that,” Kalenda said.
Between 600,000 and one million people live in the city which is close to two active volcanoes – the Nyamulagira and the Nyiragongo. The Nyamulagira also erupted in January last year.
(Editing by Rebekah Curtis)
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