Hazards - Mt Nyiragongo (DRC) - 2002

What was the type of volcano and plate margin?

Shield volcano
Continental continental constructive plate margin, African rift valley

What caused the erruption?

Southern vent erupted due to plate movement

What were the hazards imposed (3)?

- 60km/h flowing basaltic lava
- Poisonous gas
- Tremors occurring a week prior to eruption

What were the primary effects (5)?

- 100 deaths, 50% within first 24hs
- Destroyed roads
-13,000 destroyed homes
- 120,000 homeless
- 80% of commercial infrastructure destroyed

What were the secondary effects (4)?

- Spread of cholera due to lack of sanitation in refugee camps
- Earthquake , 5 of Richter scale, followed after eruption
- 2 hospitals destroyed
- Water and power supplies destroyed

What were the immediate responses (3)?

- 300,000 fled to Rwanda
- Aid agencies were close by, providing food and shelter
- As lava cooled, residents returned to Goma to protect their homes

What were the long term responses (2)?

- Aid was focused on social responses. less successful in boosting economy
- IOs and NGOs were reluctant to help due to DRC being a dictatorship country (political instability)

Assess the vulnerability and risk

No planning, rescuers had little support or tools to help the rescue.
Reliant on HICs to reduce effects of natural disasters