The Devastating 2021 Mount Nyiragongo Eruption

The permanent and rising lava lake at Mount Nyiragongo has produced multi geological hazards to the inhabitants of its regions for decades, leaving the people and environment of the Virunga volcanic region in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda at risk for the future (Burgi,2014). In 2021 a massive volcanic crisis occurred causing a destruction of land and life in the Goma area. In the Virunga Volcanic province stands the 3,470m Nyiragongo volcano of the Democratic Republic of Congo; a stratovolcano that has had continuous reports and events that result in lava lake destruction (Barrier, Nicolas, et al., 2022). The Nyiragongo volcano has a large active supply of lava, evidently causing the devastating eruption in 2021 (Fig 1). The persistent occurrence of volcanic eruptions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has created a massive loss of resource across social, environmental, and economic borders. To address the Mount Nyiragongo Travesty we will cover three topics to assess its significance; through a scientific analysis of Mount Nyiragongo's physical property, the monitoring process of the volcano- including where it has fallen short, a look at documented eruptions and the social, economic, and environmental tragedies that have become a result of its persistence.

The tectonic background of the Mount Nyiragongo stratovolcano shows that majority of the volcanic activity has taken place in two zones: South-Kivu area and the NNE turn of the rift from Tanganyika and Kivu lakes, which shows a dextral shift of the rift between lake Kivu and Edward lakes (Puclet & Bram, 2021). Mount Nyiragongo has continuous ash fall due to these continuous eruptions and active tephra fragments, creating a hazardous environment for civilians and man-made environments. (Fig 2) Lava flow impacts on populations remains to be ill accounted for in these high risk areas, as Mount Nyiragongo producing a significant lava lake fluctuation results in a limited window for action or intervention to occur.

It has been revealed that the most common Dike path is originating from a shllow magma reservoir, aswell as the lava lake which has caused a large quantity of branching from its "feeding" conduit (fig 3) (Burgi, 2018). Through this lens, the reservoir and erupted lava volumes are estimated to be 10km long, and 20 metres deep (Burgi, 2018). These measurments show that Magma overpressure at these levels range from 12 to 16MPA, which is high enough to produce new eruptions that are not only connected to the more monitored lava lake (Burgi, 2023). This finding creates a complex risk analysis of Mount Nyiragongo as there is a lack of attention on the dike paths that also present active and increasing magma levels.

The Mount Nyiragongo stratovolcano (the formation of multiple layers of magma) located in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the Virunga area of the Western branch (Puclet & Bram, 2021). In 2020, Mount Nyiragongo was recorded as being 425km², standing at 3470 metres high and measuring at 1345m in diameter, having the largest semi-permanent active lava supply (Puclet & Bram, 2021).

Mount Nyiragongo holds a large divergent plate boundary and Tectonic patterns as the analysis of the seismic activity shows that during the pre-eruptive period there were seismicity composed hybrid tectonic type events that characterized the long term swarm that was recorded before the 2021 eruption (Sadiki, 2023). Eruptions at Mount Nyiragongo have decedal persistence. According to Sadiki’s analysis of activity before the 2021 eruption, in February 2016, similar activity was observed at Mount Nyiragongo which led to the formation of a new vent within Nyrigongo’s main crater which remained active until the 2021 eruption (Sadkiki, 2023). Eruptions have been noted to be typical and recurring, the lava lake has become a large zone that faces an increase of stress and accumulation on the flanks of the volcano, as it is hybrid seismic, the flanks and main crater have been in flux (Sadiki, 2023

In a study conducted by Ferrentino, Polarmatic methods and polarimetric information used in measuring lava ensure that all relevant behavior is categorized and monitored sufficiently. Dual-polarimetric Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is used to measure relevant changes that previously would be categorized as scattering behavior (Ferrentino, 2023). The system recognizes variations from before and after an eruption (Fig 7) and draws correlations to lava flow levels in specific environments. Lava flow mapping during and after an eruption are crucial in crisis management and emergency response as lava flow mapping is fundamental in addresses factors for risk management (Ferrentino, 2023).

Coherent dual-polarimetric SAR measurements benefit from analyzing the intensity and inner-channel phases and enhance the changes between DP SAR imagery that assess performance metrics, and provide a binary map (Ferrentino, 2023). This formulation performs for both qualitative and quantitative magmatic activity. Volcanic hazard and risk maps have been commonly used to analyze the magnitude of lava, ashfall, risk and density (2023). Hazard and risk maps serve as communication products that response agencies heavily utilize. (Fig 7) After a disaster has occurred, maps produced during crises evolve in time and strategically monitor data and inform the likelihood and chances of a certain eruption scenario occurring again (Lowenstern, 2022)

The volcanic eruption of Mount Nyiragongo has created evidently high records of loss and tragedy due to its large-scale destruction on built environments and its people. 32 people were reported killed and over 400,000 people were forced to be evacuated from their homes. There are many measures put in place by the SAR to avoid such loss. Sadly, during the eruption at Mount Nyiragongo many of these measures were not properly implemented or able to properly scan Mount Nyiragongo. On May 22, 2021 a red glow was administered on the south flank of Nyiragongo alerting the population of Goma (East DRC) that the volcanic eruption began, following the beam there were no instructions on what measures will be taken (Mafuko, 2023). Following the eruption, impact mapping conducted by the European Commission's Emergency Management Service has estimated that between the 16th-31st of May 2021, 1276 residential buildings were destroyed, resulting in 120,000 displaced and homeless civilians (Mafuko, 2023). This large scale loss has also caused intense destruction of land in Goma, resulting in ten kilometers of land and road destroyed (Mafuko, 2023)

Evacuation and the determinations regarding to stay or leave are extremely complex and are composed of many push and pull factors. The people of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Gisenyi in Rwanda were faced with an agonizing decision (Smittarello, 2022). In a focus group study conducted by Mafuko, it was revealed that there are four major social factors included in the decision for evacuation; warning’s and media, reaction and protective measures, community and social network support, and evacuation destination (Mafuko, 2023). It is estimated that the well-educated and wealthy people are identified as less vulnerable during the threat of an eruption, and are often met with stronger resources during environmental crises, leaving an estimate of 36% of civilians to not have resources for evacuation(Mafuko, 2023).

The lack of instruction given to civilians in Goma raises questions on why. In a Journal assessing the precursor-free eruption of 2021, Smittarello suggests that many classical mechanisms of volcanic eruptions involve pressure buildup and magma ascent to trigger signals of a possible volcanic eruption (2022). However, as Mount Nyiragongo acts as an open-vent volcano with continuous active lava, there will not be a large spike in activity to properly prepare for eruption (Smittarello, 2022). The lack of spiked movement at Mount Nyiragongo due to its constant activity creates mega challenges for the current modes of alert systems and practices (Fig 10).

It has become recognized that the decedal eruptions at Mount Nyiragongo have created major loss for the civilians in Goma, and the information of development for more appropriate and targeted mitigation programs are necessary(Meredith, 2024). According to Meredith’s Global Dataset on the lava flow impacts on the built environments, building-level empirical damage prevention and the relationship between damage and hazard protocols needs to be mended (Meredith, 2024). Evaluating building vulnerability through improving design and providing stronger resources and guidance for mitigation measures is necessary (2024).

The tragic displacement of 5000 people in Goma, refuge is at an alarmingly high need (African Union, 2021). I recommend an interaction with Change.Org’s petition to Help the People of Goma Following Volcano Eruption which highlights the need for; 1. informing the public of proper evacuation measures, 2. Recognition of mega displacement, 3.steps taken to enact safety measures for civilians, 4. Inform the public of any investments by the AU to help rebuild the economy, 5. Provide risk knowledge, technical monitoring, and stronger warnings (African Union, 2021)

  

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