Nineteen years after the previous eruption in January 17/18 2002, Mount Nyiragongo has erupted again starting today. The 11,381-foot volcano which produced a fissure and three paths of lava, one of which headed toward the city of Goma, 18 kilometers to the south, is expected to leave devastating consequence on communities inhabiting around it. An estimated 450,000 people live around the mountain in Goma. In 2002, an estimated 300,000 people fled east to Gisenyi and Ruhengeri in Rwanda, while 100,000 moved west towards Sake, Bukavu, and other locations within the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) when Lava pouring from mountain covered 13 percent of the city.
Mt. Nyiragongo had spent 25 years in active domance with the lava covering 20 square km did affect many lives because 400 people were killed houses,400 homes demolished and 10 km of road.The most likely scenario this year considering seismic activity will be catastrophic producing lava flows very near to, or within Goma town, Gisenyi town, or Lake Kivu. This activity could trigger a westward evacuation of the entire population of Goma and Gisenyi towards Mugunga, Sake, and Bukavu, and high grounds above Gisenyi. In this scenario, loss of life, property destruction, and displacement of near 530,000 people would likely result.