One of the World's Most Dangerous Volcanoes Sends Lava Flows Through Villages

Nyiragongo, a massive shield volcano near a city of 2 million people, erupted over the weekend with lava flows that snaked through city streets.

Rocky Planet iconRocky Planet
By Erik Klemetti
May 24, 2021 5:00 PMMay 24, 2021 5:09 PM
Lava lake at Nyiragongo
The lava lake at Nyiragongo, seen in 2011. Credit: Cai Tjeenk Willink, Wikimedia Commons.

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Sitting a mere 9 miles (15 kilometers) from Goma, a city of over 2 million people, is Nyiragongo. It is a massive volcano that is part of the East African Rift. The volcano is one of the few in the world with a persistent lava lake ... and it is one of the few where lava flows from the volcano have been fatal. Twice over the past 50 years, Nyiragongo's lava flows have destroyed parts of Goma, killing people along the way.

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