Website biblography

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Nyiragongo

http://www.volcanolive.com/congo.html

http://gbgm-umc.org/UMcor/02/gomavolcano.cfm

My reflections

I think that preventing volcanic eruptions is impossible, but it is possible to prevent people from the eruptions. Till now, nobody is able to predict when there would be a volcanic eruption. Last but not least, I feel that the government should vacate places which are near active and dormant volcanoes and let the residents there find a safer place to stay in.

Geography

Two of Africa's most active volcanoes, Nyamuragira and Nyiragongo are located in DR Congo. Nyamuragira is one of the most active volcanoes in Africa. Nyiragongo was the scene of a natural disaster in 2002 when 400,000 people were displaced by an eruption. It also has the world's fastest flowing lava.

On January 17, 2002,after several months of increased seismic and fumarolic activity. A 13 km fissure opened in the south flank of the volcano, spreading in a few hours from 2800 m to 1550 m elevation, reaching the outskirts of the city of Goma the provincial capital on the northern shore of Lake Kivu. Lava streamed from three spatter cones at the end of the fissure and flowed in a stream 200 to 1000 m wide and up to 2 m deep through Goma. Warnings had been given and 400,000 people were evacuated from the city across the Rwandan border into neighbouring Gisenyiduring the eruption. Lava covered the northern end of the runway at Goma International Airport, leaving the southern two-thirds usable, and reached Lake Kivu. This raised fears that the lava might cause gas-saturated waters deep in the lake to suddenly rise to the surface, releasing lethally large amounts of carbon dioxide and methane– similar to the disaster at Lake Nyos in Cameroon in1986. This did not happen, but volcanologists continue to monitor the area closely.

About 45 people died in the eruption from asphyxiation by carbon dioxide and buildings collapsing due to the lava and earthquakes.At least 15% of Goma comprising 4,500 buildings were destroyed, leaving about 120,000 people homeless. The eruption was the most destructive effusive eruption in modern history.

Immediately after the eruption stopped, a large number of earthquakes were felt around Goma and Gisenyi. This swarm activity continued for about three months and caused the collapse of more buildings.

Cone of the flanks of Mount Nyiragongo

Six months after the start of the 2002 eruption, Nyiragongo volcano erupted again. Activity at Nyiragongo is ongoing, but currently confined to the crater, where another lava lake has formed about 250 metres below the level of the 1994 lava lake.

While the crustal plate moves southwest, the warm, underlying mantle slowly boils due to convection, with warm areas moving upward and cooler areas downward. Northwest of Yellowstone, this convection is such that the plume is "blown" east-southeast by mantle convection, so it angles upward toward Yellowstone.

The magnitude of this earthquake was 6.1.

UMCOR is responding to the crisis caused by the eruption of Mount Nyiragongo in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo. Working through our ecumenical and United Methodist partners, UMCOR will work to provide 60,000 people affected by the eruption with water and sanitation, food, blankets, kitchen sets, plastic sheeting, and firewood. Feeding centers will be established and special attention will be given to children and elderly people. It released a $35,000 grant to Action by Churches Together (ACT) on January 23.

In addition to providing assistance for the people of Goma, UMCOR has an ongoing, long-term commitment to support the work of the United Methodist Church in the Democratic Republic of Congo as they minister to the needs of thousands of refugees and displaced persons in their country, as well as those who have returned to their home communities after fleeing the ravages of war.

My region and country

My region is Africa and the country I'm doing is Democratic Republic of Congo.