Hazards Case Study 1: The Nyiragongo Flashcards
What is the DRC like economically?
(STATS)
It is very poor with very low standards of living, ranking 180 out of 193 countries on the 2022 HDI.
Their HCI (Human Capital Index) is 0.37%, below the SSA average of 4%.
On average, a Congolese child receives 9.1 years of schooling, though translating into 4.5 years of learning-adjusted schooling.
43% of children are malnourished.
When has the Nyiragongo erupted in the past?
Three times in the past 40 years, once in January 2002, and in May 2021.
What is the name of the city located 7 miles from the Nyriagongo?
Goma.
How fast did the lava flow in 2002, and how long did it take to reach Goma?
30-40km/h, and it arrived at Goma in fewer than 10 hours.
How many died in the 2002 Nyiragongo eruption?
Over 140 died.
What are some key features of the Nyiragongo volcano and crater?
It contains the largest lava lake in the world, at a temperature of 1000*C
The crater is 1.2km in diameter, and the lava lake is 260m in diameter.
What is meant by the term “appropriate technology”?
Appropriate technology is technology that is suited to the needs, skills, resources, wealth and knowledge of the people who live in a local area, for the environment in which they live.
What is the “Goat Demonstration” and how is it appropriate to Goma?
It is a demonstration used to display the dangers of hollows around Goma, which spew CO2 constantly. It involves placing a goat into one of these hollows, and then seeing it shake then eventually collapse before reviving it with oxygen. This demonstration is appropriate as it displays the dangers of CO2 effectively, whilst being cheap, simple and requiring no advanced technology,
What is a possible disadvantage of the Goat Demonstration?
It is only observable for a few people at a time.
What different technologies were used to attempt to monitor the Nyiragongo volcano?
Time lapse technology, recording the rise and fall of the lava lake over time, showing changes in pressure in the magma chamber.
Gas samples, in which magma compositions can be detected when analysing the gas, which can be used to predict the nature of the eruption. (E.g SO2 can indicate an impending eruption.)
Lava samples, in which silica concentrations can be used to predict the viscosity of erupted lava.
Infra-sound measuring, which measures low frequency sounds from the volcano. Changes in this sound demonstrate changes in the lava lake, possibly predicting an eruption.
Which method of monitoring the Nyiragongo was the most successful?
The infra-sound measurements, as it can be left and monitored remotely, and can accurately forecast eruptions, proven in 2021, when it forecast the eruption 10 minutes prior.
Why are the monitoring methods used in the Nyiragongo possibly inappropriate?
They all use very technologically advanced equipment, which is incredibly difficult for a deprived nation like the DRC to be able to acquire and maintain.
What were some key characteristics of the 2021 eruption of the Nyiragongo?
The 2021 eruption produced lava which reached speeds of up to 64km/h, much faster than 2002. It was predicted successfully from the rising lava lake and infra-sound and resulted in the evacuation of 400,000 people, with 32 dying, many fewer than 2002.
What is another method used to reduce the risk of the eruption in Goma?
Practice drills, which prepare not only people but emergency services as well for a disaster, and reduces potential chaos and panic in the event of an actual eruption.
What was an unexpected and much deadlier side effect of the 2002 Nyiragongo eruption?
A Cholera outbreak, which resulted in a reported 73,605 cases, and 1,612 deaths.
