Nyiragongo Volcano Case Study, DRC Flashcards
When has the Nyiragongo erupted in the last 50 years, and how many died each time?
First in 1977, with estimates of 400-2000 deaths, then on January 17th, 2002, with 150 deaths, and then more recently in January, 2021, either only 32 dying, and this being predominantly down to evacuation accidents.
What is the name of the nearest city to the Nyiragongo Volcano, and how far away is it?
The city of Goma, with around1 million people in 2002, which grew to 2 million in 2022. It is located 7 miles to the south west of the Nyiragongo Volcano.
What is the DRC’s HDI ranking globally?
It is ranked at 180 out of 1934 countries on the 2022 Human Development Index.
What percentage of children in the DRC are malnourished?
43%
Why do people live in Goma near the Volcano?
Economic:
- Nearest major city in the DRC for hundreds of miles
- Lack of money to move away from Goma.
- Employment in constructing new houses, farming rich ash soils, observatory etc…
Cultural:
- Fatalism - Belief that all events are predetermined and therefore inevitable (lack of education/ part of their culture)
Social:
- Lack of awareness of the danger.
- Survival of the last volcanic event gives people confidence of ability to survive next one.
How does the volcano contribute to Goma being a world hotspot for cholera?
The eruptions result in the ground in Goma being comprised extremely strong igneous rock, and so makes building deep drop toilets very difficult to build, so waste is not disposed properly. It also makes digging graves very difficult, so dead bodies can be left exposed for extended periods of time spreading disease.
What are the purposes of practice drills in Goma?
- Practice drills prepare residents and emergency services in the event an actual disaster occurs, to reduce panic, and improve response time of emergency services.
What is the goat demonstration and what is its purpose?
The Goat Demonstration involves placing a goat inside a hollow of CO2, and displaying to the residents, especially children watching how it passes out very soon after being placed inside, and requiring direct oxygen supplies to bring it back to life. This demonstration displays to the people watching the danger of CO2 in low lying areas, and works as a cheap, appropriate demonstration to show the dangers of CO2.
What are some advantages and disadvantages of the goat demonstration?
Pros:
- It is cheap and appropriate for the local technology in Goma.
- It is clear and easy to understand for children, and doesn’t take long.
- It educates people about one of the most deadly aspects of volcanoes.
Cons:
- Can only be shown to so many people at once.
- Requires an expert to do, and so cannot spread that easily throughout the 2 million residents of Goma.
Which of the more advanced technologies brought to the Nyiragongo to monitor the volcano was the most successful and why?
Low frequency infra-sound monitoring, monitoring changes in the tone of the infra-sound waves from within the lava lake, and it could be left in the volcano caldera and monitored remotely.
How were scientists able to predict the speed of the lava in the next eruption?
By analysing recently solidified lava in the caldera, and analysing the silica content and other molecules.
How early was the Goma volcano observatory able to predict the 2002 eruption, and how did this differ to 2021?
In 2002, the scientists, using three very old seismometers, predicted the volcano 5 days in advance, however in 2021, with the help of the infra-sound technology, despite funding cuts and electricity cuts, predicted it 10 days in advance.
What political factors hindered the ability of the city to predict and evacuate the city?
- The authorities in neither 2002 or 2021 listened to the observatory scientists, and so had less time to prepare than they could have.
- A corrupt government means funding from the world bank and other donors, meant for the observatory was embezzled, and so the observatory was largely unfunded and unable to pay for internet bills, reducing how much the prediction could have improved since 2002.
What occurred at Lake Nyos in 1986?
The CO2 that had pooled at the base of Lake Nyos got displaced during a landslide into the lake, resulting in a 1.6 million ton wall of CO2 travelling down the valley, killing 2000 people. This is known as a limnic eruption.
How does what occurred at Lake Nyos in 1986 apply to Goma?
Lake Kivu, a much larger lake bordering Goma, is estimated to hold 256km3 of CO2 beneath it, much more than lake Nyos, and it is feared that this event could occur again, and Goma could face a limnic eruption.
How is the CO2 in lake Nyos being mitigated against?
There are prototype fountains in the lake bringing water from deep in the lake to the surface, allowing the CO2 in it to diffuse into the surrounding air.
How fast did the lava travel in 2002, and how did this differ to 2021, and why was it not as significant?
The lava travelled at 40km/h in 2002, but travelled at 64km/h in 2021, however, the 2021 lava came out of fissures further away from the city, so the time to respond for the people of Goma was actually very similar in the two events.
