nyragongo case study may 2021 Flashcards
what is the tectonic setting like in the nyragongo?
t forms part of the western branch of the East African Rift Valley. The East African Rift Valley is a developing divergent plate boundary where the eastern portion of Africa, the Somalian plate is pulling away from the rest of the continent (Nubian plate). Nyiragongo crater contains a rare persistent lava lake.The lava emitted in eruptions at Nyiragongo is often unusually fluid with a very low silica content. This makes it extremely dangerous as it can flow very fast down the steep sides of the volcano.
The volcanic hazards present in the area are:
Flank eruptions - out of the sides rather than one main central crater; lava can flow at very high speeds (up to 90km/hour) as it is low in viscosity.
Phreatomagmatic eruptions (interaction between lava and water)
Gas emissions in areas surrounding the volcano, including Lake Kivu, plus the risk of limnic eruptions when dissolved carbon dioxide erupts from deep lake waters (as happened in Lake Nyos in Cameroon in 1986)
background info on goma?
part of a fertile agricultural region. The combination of altitude (1,500m), extended growing season and the fertile volcanic soils has encouraged large numbers of people to settle there, despite the presence of the volcano. Since 1882, there have been 34 eruptions, although each period of volcanic activity does not always include lava flows.
Between 1997-2003, DRC was in a state of civil war, drawing in several neighbouring countries. Dozens of armed groups fight on in the east, requiring a large United Nations military force to try to maintain order.
hazard management in goma and the surrounding area?
Following the eruption of 2002, actions had been taken to prepare the local population for future eruptions:
The Volcano and Risk Management Project aimed to develop a better and more prepared Volcano Observatory through capacity building, awareness raising, education and resilience. Close cooperation with local authorities led to the creation of new contingency plans for the city of Goma in the event of another eruption. Given the amount of people at risk, more than one million, the creation and dissemination of these plans were a high priority for the city.
UNOPS (a UN development organisation) also played an important part in initiatives to raise awareness about the dangers of the volcano. A weekly radio programme in both French and Swahili was set up to inform local listeners.
Another project was aimed at children from local schools, who were asked to come up with designs for a poster campaign, as well as for leaflets and other information materials.
Some residents believed that engaging the public in this way helped enormously to educate not only the younger generations, but also the many newcomers.
what were the erruption characteristics?
On 22 May 2021, the Nyiragongo volcano, which looms over Goma town in eastern DRC, erupted effusively, with lava streams pouring down towards the east in the direction of Rwanda. Another lava stream headed in the direction of Goma town and stopped 300 metres from Goma International Airport.
By 31 May the number of earthquakes detected in the area of Nyiragongo volcano and the deformation rates had decreased slightly but seismic activity and ground deformation continued to indicate the presence of magma under the urban area of Goma with an extension under Lake Kivu.
what were the exacerbating factors?
vulnerable population:
Humanitarian operations in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo have been extensive during the past years in a context affected by COVID-19, Ebola outbreaks, profound poverty affecting the protection of most vulnerable and marginalised people, and now affected by the volcano eruption, with new displacement and people in need against a backdrop of almost three decades of conflict and violence.
Lack of funding for Goma Observatory
The Goma observatory’s efforts to keep an eye on Nyiragongo had been hindered in the preceding months. Some of its seismic stations had been subjected to theft and vandalism, with the risk of violence leaving many of them unrepaired. The observatory also lost financial support from the World Bank in 2020 amid allegations of embezzlement.
Consequently, for several months, remote sensors lacked an internet connection, and regular on-site measurements of the volcano were not possible. Despite these ongoing issues, the observatory, with a small budget from the DRC government, and in cooperation with other international partners, kept up its efforts to monitor Nyiragongo.
But in the end, the volcano erupted unexpectedly, providing no clear geologic hints that it was about to blow. “There was absolutely no precursor for this eruption,” “Nobody could have detected this eruption” in advance. [according to Benoît Smets, a geohazards expert at the Royal Museum for Central Africa in Tervuren, Belgium].
what were the social impacts?
Report from 25 May:
Lava blocked the main RN 2 Rutshuru-Goma road – the principal supply line for food into Goma.
Power lines and water supply have been damaged and cut-off to approx. 500,000 people.
Thirteen civilians lost their lives during the night of 22 May due to evacuation-related incidents (mostly vehicle crashes).
People have lost their possessions either in the rush to move, or burnt by the lava flow, or looted. Cases of theft, particularly of motorbikes and other property left behind by displaced households, have also been reported.
UNICEF reported that more than 150 children were separated from their families and more than 170 children were feared to be missing as people fled the city of Goma following the eruption of the Nyiragongo volcano.
450,000 people were displaced over the following weeks.
According to the UN, as of 25 May, 1,000 homes were destroyed with 17 villages and one neighbourhood in the city of Goma being wrecked.
32 people were killed by the eruption.
what were the economic impacts?
Certain businesses and services such as banks are closed and certain markets partially or totally interrupted, which particularly affects the informal sector on which many very poor and poor households depend.
Being displaced meant that people could not work, so incomes were affected.
what were the environmental impacts?
The eruption of Mount Nyiragongo on 22 May melted mains water pipes and damaged a huge 5,000m³ reservoir, the agency said on Monday.
It is also reported that over 3,629 houses were ravaged by lava, 23 roofs of houses were blown away, the Goma-Rutshuru road was cut off (about 2 km invaded by lava) and 3 health structures as well as 12 primary and secondary schools were destroyed.
what was the preperation and monitoring like?
On May 10, 2021, the Goma Volcano Observatory detected an uptick in seismic activity at the summit. This was perhaps suggestive of magma moving about at shallow depths, but it was not a guaranteed sign of an upcoming eruption.
what were the evacuations like?
Following the eruption, many of the local population evacuated during the night towards Saké, located 27 km west of Goma, and another group crossed the border into Rwanda seeking refuge. Cross-border movements into Uganda were less significant and 90 per cent of Congolese have returned to the DRC.
On 28 May, the military governor of the North Kivu Province ordered the evacuation of around 400,000 residents as the magma detected under the city and Lake Kivu could erupt which carried the risk of a limnic eruption of Carbon dioxide from the lake.
what was the relief like?
DRC Red Cross immediately mobilised its staff and volunteers to provide immediate First Aid and Psychological FA assistance to those affected by the eruption.
As previous cholera epidemics in Goma started when residents collected dirty contaminated water for drinking, UNICEF has installed 15 emergency station chlorination points close to the lake.
UNICEF was also part of a task force that supported the installation of 1,500 metres of pipe on top of the lava to replace pipework that has melted. The pumping station will be reconnected to distribution reservoirs in the hills above Goma, which were not damaged during the eruption.
Congolese authorities built temporary shelters in Goma, Bujovu, Bujara, Kanyaruchinya and Kayembe following the eruption
The rapid response teams provided first aid services to 4,613, referring patients in need of further health care and supporting the burial of those found dead during the crises.
what was the rehabilitation like?
By the beginning of June 2021, the Government of DRC announced a gradual return to take place in less than a month. As a result, by the end of June, 80% of the displaced population had returned.
UNHCR (United Nations High Commission for Refugees) paid the rent of more than 1,300 families who had found accommodation in Goma.
Summary of actions by the International Red Cross and Red Crescent organisations (IFRC) and the DRC Red Cross:
516 emergency shelters have the main structure built and completed (tarpaulins, doors, windows and roofs fixed).
393 affected families were supported with shelter solutions (emergency shelter).
Psychosocial support (PSS) was provided to 59,679 people affected by the Nyiragongo volcano eruption through individual and group therapy sessions.
Volunteers have reached 124,296 people (24,859 households) with health and hygiene promotion messages with the key health messages focusing on Covid-19 that is currently on the rise in Goma, disease prevention and maintaining hygiene in the crowded conditions in which they live.
Provision of food (Masoso Porridge) to 5,078 children in 3 informal settlements for one month, three times a week
8,598 people were sensitised on PGI and 84 survivors of sexual gender-based violence (SGBV) were referred to specialised health centres
Construction of 4 blocks of latrines with 16 doors have been completed at the temporary IDP site in Mujoga, as well as rehabilitation of 20 pit latrines, and 10 water harvesting facilities and establishing a friendly environment for females at a primary school in Mugara.
what was the reconstruction like?
As of 22 August 2021 life has returned mostly to normal in Goma. Authorities are considering relocating parts of the city to the town of Sake due to the threats from the volcano and Lake Kivu. However, a relocation project would be expensive and convincing the long-time residents to relocate is expected to be difficult
