Hazards - Mt Nyiragongo Flashcards
location/date
Congo, January 2002
Virunga Mountains
geographical context
continental-constructive (divergent) and hot spot
Arabian & African plates
last major eruption 10th January 1977 but since 1882 there have been 34 eruptions
Nyiragongo & Nyamuragira together responsible for 40% of Africa’s historical eruptions
description of event - magnitude
eruption not violent, only 1 on VEI scale
description of event - duration
eruption from 17th-25th January 2002
description of event - other features
crater 2km wide + contains lava lake 1,200 degrees Celcius
lava moving at 97km/hr
primary environmental impacts
sulphurous lava entered Lake Kivu + poisened water
land covered with lava, natural + cultivated vegetation
fear rise in temperature of Lake Kivu could allow toxic gases to be released from lake bed
primary social impacts
death toll 147 mainly through inhaling poisonous gases + drinking contaminated water
12,500 homes destroyed by ash & lava
lava flows destroyed 1/3 of Goma with 20,000+ inhabitants
35,000 fled over border to Rwanda causing problem providing food and shelter
secondary social impacts
thousands required medical attention from effects of smoke causing eye irritation + respiratory problems + drinking contaminated water
aid agencies couldn’t reach Goma because lava flows blocked road
cholera spread because poor sanitation in overcrowded refugee campls
water & power supply facilities, 3 health care centres, 1 hospital ruined
primary economic impacts
lava covered 1/3 of runway at Goma airport
several earthquakes accompanied causing structural damage
commercial centre ruined
secondary economic impacts
vast amounts of looting from abandoned homes + commercial properties
lava flows destroyed many businesses resulting in unemployment
political impacts
political unrest in Democratic Republic of Congo meant HICs reluctant to offer long-term support
response (park model) - pre-disaster
‘Red Alert’ was issued
400,000 evacuated
unrest in country + lack of warning systems decreased effectiveness of responses
response (park model) - relief strategies
UN brought in humanitarian aid 2 days after the eruption
UN set up camps to house displaced people
aid agencies gave bedding, water, food, tents, clothes
UN supplied 260 tonnes of food
IRC & Oxfam delivered 800,000 litres of water per day
no action taken to prevent lava destroying infrastructure
response (park model) - rehabilitation strategies
UN - camps to house displaced people
$15 million spent on foods, blankets, household utensils, temporary shelter, clean water, sanitation, health care
aid agencies
response (park model) - reconstruction
volcanology taught in schools + practice drills (preparation & protection, learning from past experiences)
establishment of Goma volcano observatory volcanologists - seismographs investigated the consequences of CO2 in crop fields + populated areas
4 decades of war & civil unrest/political instability have hindered research
46,000 people now live in Goma, attracted by fertile soils, have to rebuild
