Mount Nyiragongo in Congo (DRC- Democratic Republic of Congo), is a tourist spot famous for bird watching, forest walks and hiking. This mountain is home to an active Volcano. On the 22 May 2021, it erupted. All the tourism activities have been temporarily suspended.
Mount Nyiragongo is located in Virunga National Park. This park is also the home of the endangered mountain gorillas in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Nyiragongo is one of the 8 volcanoes in the Virunga Massif, a great conservation area that is shared by Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. Other volcanoes include Mount Bisoke, Mount Gahinga, Mount Karisimbi,Mount Nyamulangira, Mount Sabinyo, Mount Muhabura and Mount Mikeno.
Goma is a city close to the volcano eruption and has a population of approximately 700 000 people. Due to the volcanic eruption, it’s estimated that over 100 000 people have been left homeless, 400 000 residents are affected by the evacuation order and by the 28 May 2021, 4 000 people had arrived from the DRC to neighbouring Rwanda. Fear and disbelief hung over the area. This eruption brought a series of earthquakes and tremors.
The government’s evacuation plan, came long after the eruption began and many people had already begun to flee across the Rwandan border.
The atmosphere is filled with anxiety. The biggest worry immediately was the carbon dioxide (an invisible, odourless gas) that often quietly exudes to the surface, gathers unnoticed.
The locals refer to it as mazuku or ‘evil wind.’ In the past, many people have suffered and died because of this gas.It is not yet clear on how many times the volcano erupted but since 1882, it is said to have erupted 34 times.
The UNHCR is preparing to assist those in need of shelter and relief items in the Goma area in coordination with other UN agencies and non-governmental organisations, and in support of the government’s emergency response.
The Congolese communities need the world’s compassion to survive the aftermath of the volcano. People are panicking and hungry. The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is raising awareness and funds to help the affected communities. Please visit their site and find out how you can help.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has experienced prolonged periods of corruption, instability and poor governance for decades. It is a country worth raising awareness for. The region’s political instability and bouts of conflicts makes it challenging to monitor the volcano. This means most times, residents are unsure of Mount Nyiragongo eruptions. This volcano is one of the few places in the world to feature a persistent lake of lava bubbling within its summit crater.
This eruption is a major setback for communities already struggling with insecurity and the COVID-19 pandemic. The Congolese are resilient people and need our help and compassion. This country has some of the world’s most beautiful variety of wild plant and animal species that are worth saving, and deserve the world’s protection. It’s worth our time to be involved and help the Congo.
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