The government in the Democratic Republic of Congo has launched an evacuation plan for the eastern city of Goma following May 22’s stratospheric eruption of Nyiragongo volcano.
The volcano, located approximately 10 km (6 miles) from Goma, last erupted in 2002 killing 250 people — that eruption was logged as a VEI 2, according to volcano.si.edu.
added by CC
Nyiragongo’s deadliest eruption in history was that of 1977 (during the weak solar minimum of cycle 20) — this event went down as a VEI 1, according to historical observations, yet still managed to kill more than 600 people.
Saturday evening’s eruption looks bigger.
This was likely the volcano’s strongest eruption in recorded history.
Fountains of high lava burst from the Mount Nyiragongo into the night sky forming a thick orange cloud over Goma, which has a population of two million.
A new fracture opened up on the volcano, enabling lava to flow south towards Goma and reach the airport.
Electricity was out across large areas, and one highway that connects Goma with the city of Beni had already been engulfed by the lava.
Thousands of panic-stricken residents were seen fleeing, many on foot.
“There is a smell of sulphur. In the distance you can see giant flames coming out of the mountain,” resident Carine Mbala told AFP news agency.
The country’s state media said they would be accommodated in schools and places of worship.
Other residents fled to higher grounds to the west of the city.
“We’re already in a total psychosis,” resident Zacharie Paluku told the Associated Press (AP) news agency.
“Everyone is afraid; people are running away. We really don’t know what to do.”
Saturday evening’s eruption will likely go down as another VEI 2–maybe even a VEI 3: the volcano’s strongest eruption in recorded history.
And while those destructive lava flows pose a significant risk to all those in close proximity, a violent stratospheric eruption –such as this– has major implications for the rest us, too.
The Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) Toulouse said the ash plume climbed to 45,000 ft (13.7 km).
Particulates ejected above 10km (and so into the stratosphere) shade sunlight and reduce terrestrial temperatures. Smaller particulates can linger in the upper atmosphere for years or even decades+ at a time.
As documented, Earth’s average temperature was already falling off a cliff.
A global volcanic uptick is the last thing we need.
But it’s exactly what we’re getting.
Prepare for the Grand Solar Minimum.
BACKGROUND
Stratovolcano: 3470 m / 11,384 ft
DRCongo: -1.52°S / 29.25°E
Current status: ERUPTING
Eruption list: 1884, 1894, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1905, 1906, 1908(?), 1911, 1918, 1920-21, 1927-77, 1977, 1982, 1994-96, 2002, 2021–(22 May-ongoing, flank eruption).
A large stratovolcano near Lake Kivut, Nyiragongo is one of the world’s most beautiful and active volcanoes.
It has a 1.2 km diameter summit caldera containing the world’s most active and largest lava lake.
Nyiragongo is infamous for its extremely fluid lava that runs as water when the lake drains.
During the January 17, 2002 eruption, Nyiragongo’s lava lake drained from fissures on its western flanks. The city center of Goma, the capital of the East Virunga province, was destroyed by voluninous flows. 200,000 people were left homeless, adding to the human disaster caused by frequent civil wars.
A repeat of 2002 is ongoing.
Stay tuned for updates.
For more, see volcanodiscovery.com.
UPTICK
Seismic and Volcanic activity has been correlated to changes in the Sun.
The recent global uptick in earthquakes and volcanic eruptions is likely attributed to the drop-off in solar activity, coronal holes, a waning magnetosphere, and the increase in Galactic Cosmic Rays penetrating silica-rich magma.
Recommend this post and follow
The Life of Earth
No comments:
Post a Comment