April 11, 2016 - CONGO - The question I keep getting when I tell people that I jumped into Nyiragongo, an active volcano in the Democratic Republic of Congo is: "What did you do to the mountain!?"
It's an odd question, but it makes sense when you realize that Nyiragongo is suddenly undergoing a new, more active phase. And it's got the volcanologists at the Goma Observatory worried.
New activity in the crater over the last few weeks has spurred the
scientists into action as a new vent has opened up on the ledge just
above the lava lake. This was preceded by a series of earthquakes that
knocked large rocks off the crater walls that I had only recently
scaled.
The ledge that the vent opened on is the one that I didn't make it down
to, but the rest of the team did. However, I did stand directly above
the area in which it opened, but, at the time, I took no notice of the
nondescript ground far below me. I had zero inkling that less then 10
days after I left, magma would boil out of a newly formed crack in the
earth.
The vent has formed on the side of the caldera closest to the city of
Goma at the base of the mountain. In addition, new fumoroles (gas and
steam vents) have opened up on the flank of the volcano close to where
lava erupted in the 2002 eruption. In that eruption, 147 people lost
their lives and over a third of Goma was destroyed.
The eruption was not explosive like Mount St. Helens, but
instead, effusive like Mount Kilauea in Hawaii. During the eruption of
Nyiragongo, lava flowed down the slopes from cracks in the side of the
mountain at speeds that reached 100 km/h. The chemical composition of
the rock makes the lava extremely liquid.
The concern right now is that this active phase could be a signal that a new eruption is imminent.
Since the 2002 eruption, the city has expanded, but still lacks basic
infrastructure that would allow quick evacuation. Goma simply is not a
city that can be evacuated fast.
When I was there, only a few roads were fully paved and those were
within the city core. The sprawling conglomeration of tin roofed shacks
and cinder block buildings stretched haphazardly in every direction.
Despite the efforts to rebuild the city after the long civil war, it is
functional but struggling. Evacuation is simply not an option. This is
why observation and early warning are critical to survival in the city.
The proximity of the city to the mountain is why Nyiragongo has been
declared a Decade Volcano. These are 16 volcanoes identified by the
International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's
Interior (IAVCEI) as being worthy of particular study in light of their
history of large, destructive eruptions and proximity to populated
areas. Essentially, it's a list of the most dangerous volcanoes on the
planet.
The greater danger lurks under the water of Lake Kivu. Goma sprawls out
along the northern shore of the lake and deep in its depths is a massive
amount of carbon dioxide that is slowly building thanks to the volcano.
Think of it like a pop bottle with the top on. Open it up and a bit of
gas may fizz up. Now, shake that bottle and pop the top. The resulting
eruption of gas and liquid will end up soaking the room and you.
Lake Kivu is similar, only on a far more vast scale. The weight of the
water above the gas-saturated deep layers acts as a top, keeping the gas
in solution. However, if the concentration of carbon dioxide builds to a
critical level, it could all come out of the lake at once.
This isn't likely to happen any time soon as the concentration is still
too low. The danger is disturbance. If the volcano erupts and lava makes
it to the lake, an eruption of the gas, known as a limnic eruption,
could take place. That eruption would spill titanic amounts of carbon dioxide into the areas around the lake and potentially kill hundreds of thousands of people.
WATCH: Top 5 most dangerous volcanoes in the world.
It is an eerie feeling to see these pictures of the Nyiragongo crater
and realize that I was standing on a volcano that was mere moments from
stirring to life. And a terrifying feeling that I may end up returning
to a city that is slowly being engulfed in a new eruption of burning,
liquid rock. - The Weather Network.
Mount Nyiragongo's lava lake has at times been the most voluminous known lava lake in recent history
March 25, 2016 - CONGO - Rwanda Red Cross has warned of a possible Nyiragongo volcano eruption in the near future, the country's daily The New Times has reported.
Nyiragongo is one of the eight volcanic mountains in the Virunga Massif.
The volcano is located near the town of Goma in eastern DR Congo, close
to the Rwandan border.
Press reports from Kigali, indicate that local researchers have
reported that that since February 28, 2016 Nyiragongo volcano increased
signs of imminent eruption. The New Times quoted, Dr Dyrckx Dushime, the head of Red Cross in Rubavu District, saying that the active volcano has recently released magma from one hole to another of two kilometers that form smoke on the top of it.
He explained that the volcano now releases polluted gas in the
air between 5000 and 50,000 tonnes, per day which include a lot of sand.
Although he said people should not panic, he however cautioned aircrafts
against flying over the volcano for fear of engine damage.
Dushime also warned residents in neighbouring areas against using
unclean water, especially from rain and to wash vegetables before
cooking.
The newspaper also reported that Rwanda's Ministry of Disaster
Management and Refugee Affairs' personnel were monitoring developments
in the Virunga Massif
The Nyiragongo volcano last erupted in 2002, causing a lot of damage in both countries and displacing about 400,000 people. - New Vision.
NASA captures a color image of two of Africa's most active volcanoes. Photo by NASA/Landsat/Earth Observatory/Jesse Allen
February 15, 2015 - CONGO, AFRICA
- Don't look down. NASA's Landsat 8 satellite has captured impressive
color imagery of Africa's Nyamuragira and Nyiragongo volcanoes from a
nauseating elevation of 440 miles above Earth's surface.
The images, captured by the observatory's Operational Land Imager, feature two smoke plumes rising and being blown to the southwest by the winds in the mountains of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Nyamuragira is one of Africa's most active volcanoes, and the new images -- captured Feb. 9 -- show that a small but vigorously bubbling lake of lava has formed in the volcano's caldera. Nyamuragira's caldera features walls that rise roughly 330 feet high. Scientists first confirmed the lava lake's presence last year via satellite images and helicopter flyovers.
NASA captures a color image of one of Africa's most active volcanoes. Photo by NASA/Landsat/Earth Observatory/Jesse Allen
In 1938, a large fissure atop Nyamuragira allowed lava from its lake to drain, flowing all the way to Lake Kivu, several dozen miles south. More recently, the volcano has erupted, spewing lava in 2010 and 2011. But it wasn't until last year that its caldera began to refill with lava.
To the south is Nyamuragira's twin, Nyiragongo, which boasts the largest lava lake on the planet. Nyiragongo is one of the world's few volcanoes to sustain a lava lake for several decades. While the piping hot lake of lava mostly just smolders, the volcano has erupted twice in the last century, each time with deadly consequences.
NASA captures a color image of one of Africa's most active volcanoes. Photo by NASA/Landsat/Earth Observatory/Jesse Allen
In 1977, lava raced down the volcano's slopes at more than 60 mph. The lava enveloped parts of several nearby villages, killing at least 70 people. In 2002, another erupting and subsequent lava flow killed 147 people (most from carbon dioxide asphyxiation) and forced thousands to evacuate from the nearby city of Goma.
Researchers say the increased lava and seismic activity inside the calderas means another eruption or fissure is likely in the near future. With Nyamuragira's lava lake continuing to grow, officials in the DRC are already considering evacuation plans for Goma. -
UPI.
June 11, 2014 - CONGO, AFRICA - Italian scientists have successfully used data from an orbiting
satellite six miles above the Earth to measure the temperature,
thickness and volume of the lava in a fiery lake inside the 11,400-foot
summit of the Nyiragongo volcano at
in the Democratic Republic of Congo. They say the technique could be
used to monitor volcanoes in remote spots across the planet.
Photo: The lava lake bubbling inside Nyiragongo. Credit: Cai Tjeenk Willink, via Wikimedia Commons.
The information was collected by an instrument called the Spinning Enhanced Visible and InfraRed Imager (SEVIRI), and it matched the results from data collected by a ground-based thermal camera.Their methods are detailed in this article in the Journal of Geophysical Research.
The lava temperature inside Nyiragongo’s lake can reach 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit.
The researchers previously used the same method in 2011 to measure the temperature of a lava fountain inside Mount Etna in Italy, but this was the first time the Congolese volcano had been measured from space. The ability to monitor Nyiragongo and spot an eruption early is important because the city of Goma and its million inhabitants are just 7.5 miles away.
Amazingly, intrepid researchers actually have climbed the volcano and visited the lava lake. Back in 1960, documentary filmmaker Haroun Tazieff made a a documentary, The Devil’s Blast, that revealed for the first time the glowing inferno. In 2010, the summit was visited by a team that included photographer Olivier Grunewald, who got to within a few feet of the lake to take these close-up images. - Discovery News.
April 14, 2014 - WORLDWIDE VOLCANOES - The following constitutes the new activity, unrest and ongoing reports of volcanoes across the globe, courtesy of Volcano Discovery.
As more magma arrives to build up the
new lava dome in the summit crater, more gasses are being released as
well and cause near-constant explosive activity with moderately strong
ash emissions at the moment (see video below).
WATCH: Ubinas volcano activity - April 14, 2014.
Hekla (Iceland):
A shallow (around 8 km depth) earthquake swarm including two quakes at
2.7 and 2.9 magnitude has started in an area 12 km to the south of Hekla
volcano.
Latest GPS measurements
suggest a slight trend of inflation is occurring as well, which could
be related to magma intrusion into shallow magma chambers.
Earthquakes in southern Iceland during the past 48 hours.
We don't know whether these earthquakes are volcanic in origin or
could be a precursor to a new eruption in a near future (probably not).
On the other hand, since one is being considered "due" by many
scientists, it would not be very surprising either.
Another earthquake swarm has been occurring off the SW tip of
Iceland on the Reykjanes ridge, the submarine continuation of the active
western rift zone.
Karymsky (Kamchatka): An eruption yesterday evening produced an ash plume that rose to estimated 14,000 ft (4.2 km) altitude.
The most important of these were recorded yesterday morning at 02:19
and at 04:55 h (local time). The latter explosion threw some
incandescent fragments to distances of approx. 100 m onto the upper
eastern slope.
Gas-steam emissions remain elevated, sometimes producing a plume
rising 1 km. Incandescence is visible at night from the slowly growing
lava dome.
According to CENAPRED, small explosions releasing incandescent
fragments no more than 4 kilometers from the crater could occur any
time. The alert level remains unchanged at "Yellow Phase 2".
Reventador (Ecuador): Activity continues at moderate levels with small intermittent explosions, but (probably) no longer active lava flows.
Current seismic signal from Reventador (CONE station, IGPEN)
Most of the time, the volcano is hidden in clouds, but this activity can be inferred from seismic and satellite data.
Momotombo (Nicaragua): Seismicity in the volcanic chain between Momotombo and Apoyeque
volcanoes remains high. Dozends of shallow earthquakes in the magnitude
3-5 range have been occurring daily in a cluster SE of Momotombo and
near Apoyeque.
Current seismic signal at Momotombo volcano (MOMN station, INETER)
There are no reports of unusual activity at either volcano.
A shallow magnitude 6 earthquake occurred on Thursday evening 15 km NE from
Momotombo volcano, followed by ongoing numerous aftershocks in the area
east of the volcano, as well as near Apoyeque volcano on the peninsula
in Lake Managua to the SE.
The quakes are probably tectonic in
origin, and INETER has not reported any unusual activity at the
volcanoes. On the other hand, earthquakes of this size could disturb the
plumbing system of the volcanoes and potentially help trigger new
activity.
Recent earthquakes near Momotombo volcano (Friday 24 hours)
Nyamuragira (DRCongo):
News started to spread on twitter and other media that a new eruption
of the volcano started today, including pictures from the 2010 eruption
as (false) evidence.
Degassing from a crater of Nyamuragira (source: Julien Paluku / Twitter: pic.twitter.com/oKmCMMrkVX)
An overflight today by members of Nord-Kivu's
government showed only intense degassing from a pit crater (but no lava
erupting), although they suggested that "an eruption is imminent".
While
it is difficult to judge the situation from the current sources
available, it seems that the eruption reports are a case of rumor
spreading faster than actual evidence.
Fuego (Guatemala): On April 12, activity at the volcano continues to increase and could be heading
towards a new paroxysm with lava flows, strong explosions and potential
pyroclastic flows. Constant avalanches were observed on the upper
southern flank, which could be related to the opening of an effusive
vent.
The increased rise of magma to the crater has been producing
stronger and more frequent explosions, at averages of 8 per hour
reported in last night's special bulletin of the volcano observatory.
Moderate to strong rumblings were audible in more than 15 kilometers
distance and shock waves rattled roofs and windows of houses.
A typical strombolian eruption at Fuego yesterday morning
Current seismic signal of Fuego (FG3 station, INSIVUMEH)
The volcano has since returned to normal levels of activity without producing a
new paroxysm when activity climbed during 10 April. Intermittent
explosions of strombolian type and small to moderate size were heard
during the past 24 hours, but could not be directly observed due to
cloud cover.
San Cristobal (Nicaragua):
A small eruption probably occurred last evening. VAAC Washington issued
an alert against a possible ash plume at 8,000 ft (2.4 km) altitude
drifting west of the volcano.
Forecast ash from San Cristobal volcano (VAAC Washington)
The seismic signal shows an increased
tremor signal today and the numerous aftershocks of the recent magnitude
6 earthquakes near Lake Managua.
Tungurahua (Ecuador):
A lava flow descended from the volcano's summit crater cn the upper NW
flank between 10-11 April. The flow likely appeared early of 10 April,
it appearance was documented on both visual and infrared photos and
corresponds to a tremor signal detected by the observatory.
The new lava flow observed on April 10 at 22:03 (Source: P. Ramón OVT / IG)
In the
afternoon of Thursday, its front was between the Mandur and Hacienda
canyons at 3400 m elevation. By last night, it had only advanced a bit
and apparently stopped by around 23:30 local time. Its estimated length
is about 3 km from the inner crater.
Activity decreased during 12 April, but has quickly picked up again. The
volcano continues to show intermittent small to moderate vulcanian
explosions with ash emissions of up to 3 km above the crater,
accompanied by loud detonations and shock waves. In addition,
strombolian activity were reported by the observatory.
Explosion at Tungurahua volcano this afternoon.
Lava blocks
rolled down on the southern flanks of the volcano to distances of
approx. 1 km. No reports of ash fall were received.
The lava flow from 10-11 April appears to have stopped.
Etna (Sicily, Italy):
A small event on April 11, from the New SE crater
produced a reddish-brown ash plume generated by partial collapse on the
eastern flank of the cone.
Partial collapse on the NE flank of the New SE crater (Etna Trekking webcam on Schiena dell'Asino)
Sinabung (Sumatra, Indonesia):
Activity continues at the volcano in form of slow lava extrusion that
feeds the thick lobe formed on the southern flank. Overall, the
intensity of this activity continued to decrease. Authorities decreased
the alert status from the highest (4) to 3 (on a scale of 1-4).
Evolution of Sinabung volcano's lava extrusion lobe (VSI)
People
from some of the evacuated areas (to the E and NE) have been allowed to
return to their homes where the process of cleaning up the ash is in
full progress. Only the areas within 3 km radius and several villages in
the SE sector, namely Sukameriah and Beras Tapu, where the fatal
pyroclastic flow on1 February claimed victims, remain off limits.
Paluweh (off Flores Island, Indonesia):
The Indonesian Volcanological Survey (VSI) has lowered the status of
the volcano from 3 to 2 (on a scale of 1-4), after no new significant
activity has been detected at the volcano in recent months.
Seismicity
also has decreased since the last week explosions and avalanches that
were noticed from the new lava dome in last November.
Dukono (Halmahera): Ash plumes from stronger (probably strombolian-type) explosions are regularly spotted on satellite imagery by VAAC Darwin.
The semi-permanently erupting volcano apparently continues to be in a relatively elevated phase of activity.
Colima (Western Mexico):
Weak explosive and effusive activity continues at the slowly growing
viscous lava dome of the volcano.
Incandescent avalanche at Colima on 4 April (photo: Sergio Tapiro Velasc)
Occasionally, explosions and/or small
rockfalls from the dome produce incandescent avalanches that reach 1-2
km distance on the steep slope.
Santa MarÃa / Santiaguito (Guatemala):
Activity has not changed much over the past weeks. The observatory
reports moderate explosions ejecting gray ash plumes rising up to about
800 m and causing light ash falls in areas to the west of the lava dome.
Pacaya (Guatemala):
Weak sporadic explosions have resumed at the Mackenney crater. Fine ash
plume were observed rising to 2,6 km altitude and drifting approx. 1 km
to the S and SW. The seismic signal shows continuous tremor and weak
explosion signals.
July 19, 2013 - DR CONGO- Recent NASA satellite images from 11 June 2013 show a thick steam and gas plume rising from a pit crater in the summit caldera of Nyamuragira volcano.
No evidence of lava close to the surface was found, while the lava lake in neighboring Nyiragongo remains well active and visible on the same images. Nyamuragira’s plume was rich in water vapor — which condenses rapidly in the humid tropical air — and sulfur dioxide, which lends a blue tint in natural-color satellite imagery.
Carbon dioxide, fluorine, and chlorine gas are also found in Nyamuragira lavas and likely present in the gas plume. Located near the eastern boundary of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nyamuragira is one of Africa’s most active volcanoes.
If degassing magma was near the surface, then the intense heat would cause a bright red glow in shortwave infrared light. No such glow is visible atop Nyamuragira, but it is present on neighboring Nyiragongo Volcano, which has featured a lava lake for more than a decade.
The images were collected on June 11, 2013, by the Operational Land Imager on Landsat 8. In natural color (top), the rainforest is dark green, clouds are white, and the sulfur-rich volcanic plume is very light blue. Barren land at Nyamuragira’s summit and lava flows is brown or black.
In false-color, clouds are mostly white and volcanic plumes are cyan. Forest and other vegetation is bright green. Fresh lava flows from the 2011–12 eruption of Nyamuragira are black, and older lava flows appear as brown tendrils running down the mountain’s flanks. Agricultural fields in the southeast (lower right) corner of the image also appear brown. - Volcano Discovery.
Nyamuragira volcano in the DR Congo might be forming a new lava lake in its summit caldera.
Lava fountains from the Nyamuragira volcano, seen in January, this year.
The volcano's last eruption from the Kimanura fissure NE of the summit caldera seems to have ended by now. Until early to mid March, a lava lake was observed in the eastern vent and a strong heat source could be detected on satellite imagery, but has now disappeared.
Seismic explosion signals from a source under the summit were noted on 24 February from the summit crater and overflights showed increased degassing from the central pit, which contained a lava lake until 1940. This activity increased in April and a strong SO2 odor from this area suggests the presence of near-surface magma. Scientists and the park rangers are speculating about the possibility that a new lava lake in the summit crater might be about to form. - Volcano Discovery.
The eruption at Nyamuragira volcano (DR Congo) continues with lava fountains 50-150 m high, ejections of incandescent bombs reaching up to 600 m, and the emission of an aa lava flow from the second (eastern) vent. - Volcano Discovery.
Lava fountain and the active lava flow emerging from the breach of
the erupting flank cone of Nyamuragira volcano (8 Jan 2012).
Lava fountains from Nyamuragira volcano (8 Jan 2012).
The Volcano Discovery group at the erupting flank cone of Nyamuragira volcano (8 Jan 2012).
According to the Weekly Volcanic Activity Report from the Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Program and the US Geological Survey's Volcano Hazards Program:
Satellite imagery acquired on 3 January from the Advanced Land Imager (ALI) on NASA's EO-1 satellite showed an active lava flow to the NE of the central vent over the fissure located 11-12 km ENE of Nyamuragira's main crater. A sulfur dioxide-rich plume was also detected. Geologic Summary. Africa's most active volcano, Nyamuragira (Also spelled Nyamulagira) is a massive basaltic shield volcano N of Lake Kivu and NW of Nyiragongo volcano. Lava flows from Nyamuragira cover 1,500 sq km of the East African Rift. The 3058-m-high summit is truncated by a small 2 x 2.3 km summit caldera that has walls up to about 100 m high. About 40 historical eruptions have occurred since the mid-19th century within the summit caldera and from numerous fissures and cinder cones on the volcano's flanks. A lava lake in the summit crater, active since at least 1921, drained in 1938. Twentieth-century flank lava flows extend more than 30 km from the summit, reaching as far as Lake Kivu.
Tourists in eastern Congo are being invited to spend the night by a spectacular eruption at Africa's most active volcano. Mount Nyamulagira, in Virunga National Park, has been spewing out 200m high fountains of bright red lava since the beginning of November. It is its biggest eruption in a century.
A national park in Congo best known for its endangered mountain gorillas is now inviting tourists to go on overnight treks to see a volcano spurting fountains of lava nearly 1,000 feet into the air. Mount Nyamulagira began erupting on Nov. 6 and could continue to do so for days, or even months. "Last night's was the most spectacular yet," spokeswoman LuAnne Chad said Monday from Virunga National Park. Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano attracted tourists earlier this year when a fissure had lava spurting 65 feet (20 meters) high. In comparison, volcanologist Dario Tedesco estimated that the lava on Mount Nyamulagira in Congo is spewing up to 980 feet high (300 meters) high.
Park wardens have named the latest Nyamulagira eruption "Kimanura," after the name of the area along the volcano's flank, spokeswoman Chad said. Rivers of incandescent lava are flowing slowly north into an uninhabited part of the park, but that the lava flows pose no danger to the park's critically endangered mountain gorillas, a statement from the park said. Virunga Park is home to 200 of the world's 790 mountain gorillas, as well as lowland gorillas, chimpanzees, okapi, forest elephants and buffalo. The park has set up a tented camp nearly one mile (1.5 kilometers) south of the eruption where tourists can spend the night. For $300, the park provides transportation for the hour-long drive from the eastern capital of Goma and wardens to guide visitors on the three- to four-hour hike to the camp.
Virunga is located in eastern Congo, where numerous militia and rebel groups continue to terrorize the population nearly a decade after the country's civil war ended. Some 360 park rangers protect the park and its wildlife from poachers, rebel groups, illegal miners and land invasions. Rangers worked through the civil war in eastern Congo's five parks, with more than 150 killed in the last 10 years, according to the statement. The 3,000 square-mile (7,800 square-kilometer) Virunga National Park is a World Heritage site containing seven of the eight volcanoes in the Virunga mountain range that sprawls across the borders of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda. Only two are active – Nyamulagira and, closer to Goma, Mount Nyiragongo. Nyiragongo erupted destructively in 2002, destroying most of Goma city including 14,000 homes and forcing 350,000 residents to flee. - Huffington Post.
WATCH: Congo Volcano becomes tourist trek hot spot.
A spectacular fire show started last night when Nyamulagira volcano (also known as Nyamuragira) began an eruption that happens about every two years.
The eruption could be seen clearly from park headquarters - probably the best view you could ask for. It appears that the eruption is not happening on the volcano itself, but on the side and lower to the ground. We’ll fill you in on details once we have them.This is not the volcano that tourists hike to see the lava lake, but a far more active volcano just to the north. Most of the lava flows north into an area where no one lives, so it shouldn’t bring harm to people or wildlife as the flow is moving slowly. Eruptions like this one can go on for days, weeks, or even months, so we’ll update you on the status. - Gorilla CD.
Nyamuragira volcano in the DRCongo started to erupt last night as park rangers of the Virunga National Park report on facebook. Nyamuragira is a large shield volcano north of Nyiragongo volcano near Goma town and belongs to the Virunga National Park. Its eruptions produce curtains of fire and large lava flows, which normally are no harm to inhabited areas as the volcano is very remote. In recent years, it has been almost impossible to access due to the presence of armed guerrilla troops hiding in this area. - Volcano Discovery.
