DR Congo volcano erupts

This item appears on page 29 of the July 2021 issue.

Nyiragongo volcano, just outside the city of Goma in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, erupted on May 22, killing at least 22 people. Flowing lava from the eruption reached the international airport near Goma, stopping just before reaching the city of 2 million. However, on the outskirts of the city, 17 villages comprising mostly makeshift buildings were heavily damaged.

Nyiragongo is considered a “decade” volcano, one that is most dangerous due to its capacity to erupt and its proximity to a heavily populated city. When it last erupted, in 2002, it killed more than 250 people.