GOMA: Repeated tremors shook the Congolese city of Goma on Monday, unnerving families still reeling from a volcano eruption at the weekend that destroyed nearby villages, displaced thousands and killed at least 32 people.
Mount Nyiragongo, one of the world's most active and dangerous volcanoes, erupted on Saturday evening, sending a smouldering wall of lava half a mile wide downhill towards the city of 2 million people.
The lava flow stopped a few hundred metres short of the city limits, but wrecked 17 villages on the way, cut the principal electricity supply and blocked a major road, disrupting aid deliveries.
The death toll rose to 32 on Monday, including seven killed by lava, three by smoke, two asphyxiated by volcanic gas and four who died while trying to escape Munzenze prison in Goma, said Joseph Makundi, the head of civil defence in North Kivu province.
A string of small earthquakes has since struck the city, the surrounding region in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and across the border into Rwanda.
One reached a 5.1 magnitude at 10:37 a.m. (0837 GMT) on Monday, according to the Rwanda Seismic Monitor, which is managed by the Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board.
Shops briefly reopened in Goma on Monday but many closed again as the tremors grew more severe and residents worried that these could trigger another eruption.
Tremors struck every 30 minutes in the city from midday on Sunday. In Rwanda, a Reuters reporter saw several buildings damaged by the tremors.
Dario Tedesco, a volcanologist based in Goma, told Reuters the lava lake in the volcano has refilled, having emptied before the initial eruption on Saturday evening, although its significance was as yet unclear.
AID HAMPERED
"The danger is small at the moment, but the earthquakes are an immediate danger as they could open another fracture, so this is why I'm a little bit worried. We have to be very careful," he said.
Authorities in Goma also urged caution.
"In view of the earthquake, which is becoming more severe, parents are asked not to send their children to school until further notice," army spokesman Guillaume Ndjike said.
About 1,000 houses were destroyed and more than 5,000 people displaced by the eruption, the United Nations aid coordinator in Congo, Diego Zorrilla, told Reuters on Monday.
Goma is a hub for humanitarian aid in Congo's east, but delivery efforts have been hindered by the closure of Goma's airport, Zorrilla said, and it could be days before the main road from Goma to the north reopens, he added.
"We have humanitarian operations in North Kivu that target 1.4 million people, that risk being disrupted if access to and from Goma is not restored," Zorrilla said.
The death toll could rise further. Residents told Reuters about relatives lying dead in the wreckage or missing. UNICEF said around 170 children were among the missing.
"I was at the market selling when the eruption happened. I had at first to gather the goods that I sell. When I arrived at the house, I found that the children had already fled," said Sifa Ombeni, 30, a trader.
"I had lost hope, I went everywhere to all the hospitals, I even went to the morgue at the general hospital (in Goma). They even showed me the bodies of certain children. When they weren’t there it gave me some hope."
Reuters
Tue May 25 2021
![Congo's Goma hit by tremors after volcanic eruption, scores missing Congo's Goma hit by tremors after volcanic eruption, scores missing](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-05/71621908220_CONGO.jpg)
People walk near destroyed homes by lava deposited during the Mount Nyiragongo volcanic eruption near Goma. - REUTERS
![PRK Nenggiri: Peratusan keluar mengundi indikator, tawan semula atau status quo PRK Nenggiri: Peratusan keluar mengundi indikator, tawan semula atau status quo](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/61723697236_CalonPRKNenggiri.jpg)
PRK Nenggiri: Peratusan keluar mengundi indikator, tawan semula atau status quo
Peratusan keluar mengundi akan menjadi antara indikator penting yang menentukan keputusan Pilihan Raya Kecil (PRK) Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Nenggiri Sabtu ini, sama ada Barisan Nasional (BN) berjay
[TERKINI] Banduan Iran ditahan disyaki miliki heroin
Seorang banduan lelaki warga Iran yang sedang menjalani hukuman penjara 30 tahun di Penjara Tapah ditahan pada petang Rabu kerana disyaki memiliki dadah jenis heroin.
!['Keluarga mula sedar kehilangan Nidza Afham selepas dimaklumkan kekasihnya' - Aufahanie 'Keluarga mula sedar kehilangan Nidza Afham selepas dimaklumkan kekasihnya' - Aufahanie](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/41723698722_NidzaAfham.jpg)
'Keluarga mula sedar kehilangan Nidza Afham selepas dimaklumkan kekasihnya' - Aufahanie
Aufahanie mendedahkan dia dan ahli keluarga mula sedar tentang kehilangan abangnya, Nidza Afham selepas dimaklumkan oleh kekasih arwah abangnya itu.
[TERKINI] Pembunuhan Cikgu Istiqomah: Polis serahkan kertas siasatan kepada PPN hari ini
Kertas siasatan berhubung kes pembunuhan kejam guru wanita Istiqomah Ahmad Rozi, 33, akan diserahkan kepada Pejabat Pendakwaan Negeri (PPN) hari ini untuk arahan lanjut.
![Polis tahan banduan warga Iran miliki dadah di Penjara Tapah Polis tahan banduan warga Iran miliki dadah di Penjara Tapah](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/81723698023_AziziMatAris.jpg)
Polis tahan banduan warga Iran miliki dadah di Penjara Tapah
Seorang banduan warga Iran yang sedang menjalani hukuman di Penjara Tapah didapati memiliki dadah jenis heroin.
![Jangan normalkan remaja bawah umur memandu Jangan normalkan remaja bawah umur memandu](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/51723017349_TBbawahumur.jpg)
Jangan normalkan remaja bawah umur memandu
Masyarakat dinasihatkan untuk tidak menormalkan perbuatan memandu kenderaan oleh remaja bawah umur yang berbahaya termasuk boleh mengakibatkan kematian.
AWANI Ringkas: Bukan arahan saya - Fahmi Fadzil
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Wang kertas tertera wajah Raja Charles dilelong RM5.2 juta
Wang kertas tertera wajah pemerintah monarki Britain, Raja Charles III, berjaya dilelong pada harga 914,127 pound Sterling (RM5.2 juta) dalam empat siri lelongan di London baru-baru ini.
Penemuan takungan air, saintis percaya wujud hidupan di Marikh
Jumlah takungan air yang banyak jauh di dalam kerak planet Marikh, menimbulkan semula persoalan dalam kalangan saintis yang percaya tentang kemungkinan wujudnya hidupan di planet merah tersebut.
Mpox atau cacar monyet: WHO isytihar mpox kecemasan kesihatan awam global
Pertubuhan Kesihatan Sedunia (WHO) mengisytiharkan Monkeypox atau Mpox sebagai kecemasan kesihatan awam global, pada Rabu.