DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: NYAMURAGIRA IS SPEWING THOUSANDS OF TONS OF LAVA THREATENING AREA OF REBEL-HELD TERRITORY
Record ID:
590755
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: NYAMURAGIRA IS SPEWING THOUSANDS OF TONS OF LAVA THREATENING AREA OF REBEL-HELD TERRITORY
- Title: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: NYAMURAGIRA IS SPEWING THOUSANDS OF TONS OF LAVA THREATENING AREA OF REBEL-HELD TERRITORY
- Date: 16th February 2001
- Summary: GOMA, D.R. OF CONGO (FEBRUARY 16 2001)(REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV OF VOLCANO ERUPTING (3 SHOTS) 0.14 2. SLV UNHCR TRUCK ARRIVING WITH VILLAGERS FLEEING ERUPTION 0.19 3. SV/SLV SOLDIERS AND DISPLACED PEOPLE LEAVING TRUCK (2 SHOTS) 0.33 PROVINCE OF KIVU, D.R.CONGO (FEBRUARY 17 2001)(REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 4. DRIVING SHOT: MORE PEOPLE FLEEING VOLCANO ZONE 0.38 5. LV OF VILLAGE AFFECTED BY VOLCANO ASHES 0.45 6. SLV CHILDREN IN VILLAGE (2 SHOTS) 0.56 7. LV VOLCANO ERUPTING 1.03 8. SV VILLAGERS COMING OUT OF FOREST WITH WOOD 1.09 9. MCU (French) VILLAGER CYIZA BWENGE SAYING: "As soon as the volcano began erupting, we have all been very scared because we knew the Interharmwe militia were going to come out of the forest. We also know that the food situation was going to worsen, so we decided to leave the village, to flee somewhere else." 1.35 10. SLV/SV RWANDAN PATRIOTIC ARMY (RPA) SOLDIERS PATROLLING IN THE FOREST (3 SHOTS) 1.48 11. GV OF BURNT FOREST CLOSER TO VOLCANO 1.54 12. SV SOLDIERS IN FOREST (2 SHOTS) 2.03 13. SLV SCIENTISTS COLUMN PROTECTED BY RWANDAN ARMY PATROL 2.14 14. MCU (French) CURATOR OF VIRUNGA NATIONAL PARK HONORE MASHAGIRO SAYING: "You see the slags coming from the volcanic eruption are spreading on the fields...these crops have already been burnt out...and the grass as well. You see this (eruption) has major consequences on local populations." 2.38 15. SV MORE SOLDIERS PATROLLING IN VIRUNGA FOREST (2 SHOTS) 2.55 16. MCU (Swahili) RWANDAN PATRIOTIC ARMY'S CAPTAIN RUKARA SAYING: "The eruption helped us a lot because the enemy was hiding just there. When the volcano began erupting, they had to escape. I think that all those who did stay are now dead." 3.14 GOMA, D.R. CONGO (FEBRUARY 18 2001)(REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 17. SLV OPEN TRUCK CARRYING CAPTURED REBEL FIGHTERS 3.19 18. SLV TOWNSPEOPLE LOOKING ON 3.29 19. LV/GV VOLCANOERUPTING (NIGHT SHOTS) (3 SHOTS) 3.45 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 3rd March 2001 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: GOMA, AND UNIDENTIFIED LOCATIONS, PROVINCE OF KIVU, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
- City:
- Country: Congo, Democratic Republic of
- Reuters ID: LVAAMOK6DX90W4O8CC54GAYR6KVC
- Story Text: Nyamuragira, a 4,000-metre volcano, is spewing
thousands of tons of molten lava from three cones, threatening
a wide area of rebel-held territory near the northeastern
border of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and
incidentally backing the Rwandan Patriotic Army against
militiamen.
For several days now, Nyamuragira makes the show.
Scientists say the eruption is among the largest of 27
recorded in the past century.
And in the war devastated Kivu region, in Eastern Congo,
right at the border with Rwanda, the volcano is strongly
backing the Rwandan Patriotic Army against the ethnic Hutu
Interharmwe militiamen who had establish their strongholds at
the foot of the volcano and are now fleeing the place by
hundreds.
Flames reaching 100 metres high light up the night sky from
the volcano, situated about 40 km northeast of Goma, and close
to the Rwanda border.
But it is difficult to approach any closer as the lava is
flowing down the mountain, threatening roads running north
from Goma, which is held by the rebel Congo Rally for
Democracy (RCD).
Villagers on the lower slopes of the mountain, long
accustomed to sporadic eruptions, are keeping a close watch on
the lava flows.
Hundreds have already evacuated their homes, and more are
getting ready to do so. This road is now closed to any non
military activity, and more villagers are arriving in Goma, as
temporary displaced people.
Volcanologists monitoring the situation believe the
eruption will continue for several weeks.
The eruption, first observed on February 5, has gradually
increased, with showers of volcanic ash falling on an area
estimated at between 20 and 30 square km. So far only one
casualty has been reported -- a man who lost his leg when he
accidentally stepped into the lava flow.
But officials say the effect on crops and pastures used
for grazing is already devastating, and water supplies are
likely to be contaminated over a wide area with a population
of 50,000 which could be affected.
"You see, the slags thrown by the eruption are spread on
the fields," Honore Mashagiro, curator for Virunga national
park told Reuters from a vantage point overlooking the region.
"These crops have already been burnt out...and the grass
as well. You see this (eruption) has major consequences on
local populations," he added.
At the same time the eruption has driven large numbers of
guerrillas who are fighting the RCD forces out of their
hideouts on the mountain. And the forest around the volcano
has seen its military activity on the increase.
RCD officials say the guerrillas have been carrying out
raids into neighbouring Rwanda from these hideouts, and have
been attacking Congolese towns in the area.
Most of the villagers said to be fleeing the eruption were
mainly fleeing the militiamen.
"As soon as the volcano began erupting, we were very
scared because we knew the Interharmwe militia were gonna come
out of the forest...so we decided to leave the village, to
flee somewhere else", a villager told Reuters.
Captain Steven Rukara, leading a contingent of Rwandan
troops who are supporting the RCD in the Congo says: "The
eruption helped us a lot because the enemy was hiding just
there. When the volcano began erupting, they had to escape. I
think that all those who did stay are now dead."
In Goma, this has almost become a daily show since the
eruption began: the Rwanda Army displays their prisoners.
According to Rwanda Army sources, over 400 ethnic Hutu
guerrillas have already surrendered to the Rwandan Army after
fleeing from their mountain hideout, and an undisclosed number
have been killed after brief skirmishes in the forest with
Rwandan patrols.
And at night, Goma residents and villagers surrounding
Nyamuragira volcano enjoy another free show, a fantastic red
light setting ablaze the skyline, and on the best evenings,
100 metre high flames light up the Kivu night sky.
pj/
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