The volcanic eruption in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo caused panic in the metropolis of Goma and killed 15 people. More than 170 children are missing!
When the Nyiragongo volcano ejected lava on Saturday evening and had already reached Goma airport, the government ordered the city to be evacuated. The people fell into fear and panic, more than 7000 fled to Rwanda, others in the direction of Masisi province.
Dramatic: The UN children’s aid organization Unicef stated that “more than 170 children are missing” and another 150 were separated from their parents during the evacuation.
During the escape from the lava there were also fatal accidents, said the military governor of the province of North Kivu, Constant Ndima. At least nine people were killed. Another four people were shot while trying to break out of a prison in the city, according to military spokesman Guillaume Njike Kaiko. According to government sources, two burned bodies were found.
On Sunday, the authorities gave the all-clear: the lava flow had come to a standstill on the outskirts and Goma had been spared.
The Nyiragongo eruption with the most serious consequences so far occurred in 1977, when more than 600 people died. In the region on the border with Rwanda and Uganda there are a total of six volcanoes over 3000 meters high.
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