Case Study: Mount Nyiragongo Eruption, Goma, 17th of January 2002
Causes and background information:
500,000 people live in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo. This is due to the extremel
It was covered in 3m of lava
On a divergent plate boundary between the African and Arabian Plate
Short term impacts: Long term impacts:
• People had heart attacks due to stress • Toxic gases (sulphur dioxide
• 100 people killed the eruptions causing health
• 20% of buildings were destroyed • Volcano created constant ac
• Many businesses were destroyed therefore meaning water had to be ch
people in Goma didn’t have any money • Economy was damaged
• 500,000 people made homeless • The destroyed runway resul
• Goma’s runway was destroyed and aid could not be flown i
• Half the population fled to Rwanda
• Poor infrastructure meant evacuation was
difficult
• 45 people died in the first 24 hours
• 14 nearby villages were destroyed in the lava
flow
• Lava covered 15 per cent of the city of Goma
and destroyed 30 per cent of the city
Short term responses Long term responses:
• Capital city was evacuated • Foreign countries funded a v
• United Nations provided 220 tonnes of aid observatory.
(food/shelter) • Twice a month scientists go
• Refugee camps set up in Rwanda volcano so they can give a w
• Measle vaccinations given to children eruption is about to happen
• UNICEF provided food and medicine worth • 3 weeks notice if eruption is
$700,000 • Children taught about volca
know what to do if an erupti
• Banks helped companies gro
• Reuniting families
• Rebuilding electricity suppli
• Rebuilding homes, churches
Causes and background information:
500,000 people live in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo. This is due to the extremel
It was covered in 3m of lava
On a divergent plate boundary between the African and Arabian Plate
Short term impacts: Long term impacts:
• People had heart attacks due to stress • Toxic gases (sulphur dioxide
• 100 people killed the eruptions causing health
• 20% of buildings were destroyed • Volcano created constant ac
• Many businesses were destroyed therefore meaning water had to be ch
people in Goma didn’t have any money • Economy was damaged
• 500,000 people made homeless • The destroyed runway resul
• Goma’s runway was destroyed and aid could not be flown i
• Half the population fled to Rwanda
• Poor infrastructure meant evacuation was
difficult
• 45 people died in the first 24 hours
• 14 nearby villages were destroyed in the lava
flow
• Lava covered 15 per cent of the city of Goma
and destroyed 30 per cent of the city
Short term responses Long term responses:
• Capital city was evacuated • Foreign countries funded a v
• United Nations provided 220 tonnes of aid observatory.
(food/shelter) • Twice a month scientists go
• Refugee camps set up in Rwanda volcano so they can give a w
• Measle vaccinations given to children eruption is about to happen
• UNICEF provided food and medicine worth • 3 weeks notice if eruption is
$700,000 • Children taught about volca
know what to do if an erupti
• Banks helped companies gro
• Reuniting families
• Rebuilding electricity suppli
• Rebuilding homes, churches
