The Goma Volcanological Observatory (OVG) is worried about the return of some residents of Goma to the red zone without waiting for the clearance from the authorities.

In an address to the press this Sunday, May 23, 2021 after a meeting with the authorities of North Kivu, the Director General of the OVG, Adalbert Muhindo, stressed that earthquakes are still being felt and the population must remain vigilant.

“If ever these earthquakes cause an opening, what this flow would progress towards Goma. For the population which returned to the city, it was necessary that they follow the orders from the authorities, the governor asked the population to leave the red zone. But it seems some are in process of returning to this red zone without the authority giving this order, “he declared.

The director general of the Goma Volcanological Observatory(OVG) specified that the red zone was the space which was affected by the lava flow of January 2002. This current flow is emerging above that of 2002, according to the same source.

It should be noted that the city’s evacuation plan was activated by the government a few hours after the start of the eruption. A total of 15 people lost their lives in several circumstances related to the rash.

At least 5 people died in a traffic accident that occurred on the night of Saturday, May 22, 2021 in Mugunga in North Kivu.

According to Elizabeth Ayubusa, head of the Ndosho district , the vehicle that experienced this accident was a truck transporting displaced people fleeing the eruption of the Nyiragongo volcano towards the locality of Sake.

He specifies that the accident occurred on the border between the Ndosho district and Mugunga.

In a communication to the military authorities in Goma, he believed that if the pace remained the same, the lava will no longer reach the city of Goma.

“We have just left Mutaho where the speed was very high. Just after having taken the direction of Gisenyi, now the lava is heading south, therefore away from the city of Goma. But the village of Mutaho and Kashenyi were burned. But the speed gradually decreased. God helping, we think that the lava will no longer reach the city of Goma unless unforeseen “, he explained.

The director of the OVG believed that the airport could be evacuated if the situation changed.

He pointed out that the flow north of Goma had also started to decrease, following the eruption of the Nyiragongo volcano that occurred on the same evening.

The lava from the volcano has blocked the passage and the vehicles moving from Goma for some and from Rutshuru for others are blocked on both sides.

Despite a drop in tension that can be observed in the city of Goma on the morning of this Sunday, several residents still had fear, the volcano eruption would resume again.

“Until then we have the impression that the eruption has passed but we are still afraid, it can happen again at any moment. Personally, I am not insured, ”said Jean-Claude Safari, a resident of Munigi, Goma.

As a reminder, several residents of Goma moved on Saturday evening, some to Rwanda and others to the city of Sake in Masisi territory.

Nyiragongo volcano, volcanic eruption

In a press release dated Sunday, May 23, 2021, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), noted that more than 170 children were reported missing after the eruption of Nyiragongo in the north of the city of Goma, north Kivu. Other children estimated to be 150 were separated from their families.

“… It is feared that more than 170 others are missing as people fled the city of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo following the eruption of Mount Nyiragongo at night last. More than 5,000 people crossed the Rwandan border from Goma yesterday and at least 25,000 people were displaced in Sake, 25 km north-west of Goma ”, one can read in this correspondence.

UNICEF says it is worried that hundreds of people will return to Goma to find houses damaged, causing water and electricity shortages.

“We do not yet know how many homes were affected by the eruption in the territory of Nyiragongo, north of Goma. Dozens of children in the area near the city’s airport were left homeless and without resources, ”she said.

To prevent diseases including cholera, this United Nations organisation affirms the installation of chlorinated water points around Sake to limit the spread of this disease.

It should be noted that the eruption of the Nyiragongo volcano, which occurred on Saturday, May 22, killed 14 people, according to the latest report from the central government.

The Nyiragongo volcanic eruption which occurred on Saturday, May 22, 2021 in the province of North Kivu, continues to arouse reactions both nationally and internationally.

The latest is that of the Minister of Primary, Secondary and Technical Education (EPST), Professor Tony Mwaba. Via his Twitter account, this member of the government Sama Lukonde, says he has a thought for children of school age who have been forced to move.

However, Professor Tony Mwaba promises to spare no effort so that the school calendar is not disrupted in this part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

“It was with bitterness that I learned of the eruption of the Nyrangongo Volcano with its consequence, the mass displacement including school-age children. My thoughts to them and to the teaching staff. We are monitoring the situation closely so that the school calendar is not disrupted, “said the Minister of Education.

As a reminder, the Congolese who had found refuge in Rwanda last Saturday in the evening fleeing the volcanic eruption, began to return to their respective homes. Note that the city of Goma was not affected by this eruption.

For his part, the Head of State Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, via the Presidency of the Republic, announced the interruption of his stay in Europe to return to the country in order to monitor the coordination of aid to the populations of the areas threatened by this eruption.

Several people were killed in the eruption of the Nyiragongo volcano on the evening of Saturday, May 22, 2021 in the province of North Kivu, near the city of Goma, the capital of the said province.

The interim administrator of the territory of Nyiragongo, who confirmed that it is “premature” to give a final assessment given that the excavations are continuing to find the bodies.

“I think it is too premature to give the results because there is still smoke that prevents us from searching. But it should be remembered that there was a lot of loss of human life and material damage, ”Bahati Bazirake, interim administrator of Nyiragongo territory said.

He specified that 3 groups namely: Munigi, Kibati and Buvira were affected. These groups include several destroyed villages and many families have lost theirs.

However, civil society is currently drawing up a provisional toll of 5 dead and hundreds of houses destroyed. Several families are also homeless.

As a reminder, the Nyiragongo volcano erupted 19 years after the last one in January 2002 which consumed most of the city and killed around 500 people.

13 people lost their lives during the eruption of the Nyiragongo volcano on the night of Saturday to Sunday, May 23, 2021 north of the city of Goma in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

This assessment was revealed to the press in the report of the meeting of the provincial crisis committee chaired by the military governor of North Kivu, Lieutenant-General Constant Ndima.

Among the 13 victims, there are 9 people who died as a result of the volcanic events including displaced people injured during the evacuation of the city and the other 4 are inmates who wanted to take advantage of the natural disaster to escape from the central prison of Goma (Munzenze).

The governor of North Kivu, at the same time, reiterated several measures of contingency and evacuation of the city which were communicated on the evening of Saturday.

“There were some losses of human life including: 9 people following the overturning of a truck and 4 people who tried to escape from Munzenze prison ”, said Major Guillaume Ndjike Kaïko, spokesperson for the 34th military regiment.

Note that the last eruption of Nyiragongo in January 2002 caused more than 500 deaths and a large part of Goma city was decimated. The government in Kinshasa has activated a humanitarian plan to limit the damage of this ongoing eruption.

Five schools were destroyed by the volcanic eruption that occurred on Saturday, May 22, 2021 in Nyiragongo in the province of North Kivu, east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

This is the result of a field trip conducted by a team from Primary, Secondary and Technical Education (EPST) in the educational province of North Kivu.

This team was made up of the approved, IPP, Inspector Head of Primary Pool. Its mission was to take stock of the situation.

The findings indicate that no school in the capital (Goma) was affected, except in the Nyiragongo sub-division, Munigi district, where 5 schools were razed, including 4 in the private sector. It is :

– C.S. Nziyi;
– C.S. Patmos;
– C.S. Les Alliances;
– C.S. By Grace.

And in the public sector, there is the unconventional institute called Amour Espérance.

In Kinshasa, a meeting could take place on Monday. It will be chaired by the Minister of EPST, Tony Mwaba. The meeting will propose appropriate measures to be taken, according to the communication service of the Ministry of EPST.

As a reminder, the Minister of EPST, Professor Tony Mwaba, had indicated that he was closely monitoring the situation so that the school calendar is not disrupted in this part of the country.

Several artists have given their solidarity with the population of Goma through messages posted on their social media accounts, following the volcanic eruption announced yesterday in the province of North Kivu, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

These include Fally Ipupa, Ferré Gola, Fabregas and Innoss’B who did not hesitate to post the volcano images on their various Instagram, Facebook and even Twitter statuses, followed by a few messages of support.

“I wanted to express all my support for the families affected by this terrible tragedy. I am wholehearted with you and all of my relatives. Courage to you, words are powerless in this kind of situation,” Fabregas wrote. .

For his part, Fally Ipupa did not write anything, other than posting the photo showing the volcano, with a “support” emoticon on his Instagram account.

In addition, the singer artist Innoss’B, whose real name is Innocent Balume, a native of this part of the country, did not hide his concern for especially his biological family who lives there.

“Pray for my hometown Goma translated as” Prayer for my hometown Goma “, in full volcanic eruption now. My parents, brothers, sisters, cousins, cousins, nieces and nephews are there, my heart is with you, stay vigilant and strong “he posted.

The same goes for Ferré Gola who also wrote about in Swahili on his Twitter account, “A thought for my brothers and sisters in Goma, We are together”.

This news touched the hearts of several Congolese, whether politicians, footballers or musicians, their prayers are with the population of Goma.