Volcano erupts near Congolese city
Pastor Dale Morgan
Volcano erupts near Congolese city*
From correspondents in Kinshasa
November 28, 2006 08:50am
Article from: Reuters
A VOLCANO has erupted near the eastern Congolese city of Goma which was
devastated by a volcanic eruption in 2002.
The latest eruption did not threaten the town, a senior vulcanologist at
the scene said.
"This seems like a big eruption. It is on the northwest side. The lava
will be flowing to the north and not the south, where the town is," said
Celestin Kasereka, head of Goma's volcano observatory.
Mr Kasereka said the Nyamulagira volcano had begun to erupt around 2000
GMT today (0700 Tuesday AEDT).
Any lava flow would probably affect the Virunga national park, he said.
The Nyamulagira volcano erupted in July 2002, hurling lava 200m into the
air.
The larger, neighbouring Nyiragongo volcano erupted in January 2002,
pouring lava over much of Goma and sending hundreds of thousands of
people fleeing for their lives.
It compounded the misery of the border city then caught in the midst of
a regional war.
Mr Kasereka and international peacekeepers stationed in the area said
they could see a red glow in the sky above the volcano.
"We will have to talk to the UN because we can't go and have a look yet
due to the security situation," Mr Kasereka said.
At least five people have been killed and dozens more injured since
Saturday when soldiers loyal to a renegade general seized the town of
Sake, just 20km from Goma.
UN ground forces and helicopter gunships went into action against the
rebels today to prevent them advancing on the city.