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Volcano Erupts in Eastern Congo, Destroying 14 Villages

By Jack Kahohra Associated Press Writer

Published: Jan 17, 2002

GOMA, Congo (AP) - A volcano in eastern Congo erupted Thursday, sending out plumes of ash and three rivers of lava that destroyed 14 villages near the border with Rwanda. The sky around Mount Nyiragongo began glowing red, and ash fell on the nearby town of Goma before dawn Thursday. Three lava flows were then detected, two coming down the mountain's east side and one down the west.

Thousands of people were left homeless when the lava destroyed their villages. Most fled to Goma, 30 miles south of the volcano, while hundreds of others tried to enter neighboring Rwanda, but were turned away by border guards.

There were no reports of casualties or injuries.

Two of the lava flows had stalled by nightfall, but one was still flowing toward the airport. Airport officials ordered all planes to fly out after the lava came within a half-mile of the runway.

One of the eastern flows cut the main road heading north to Butembo, before stalling short of the Rwandan border. The other main road, heading south to Bukavu, was threatened by the western flow.

Goma-based U.N. information officer Carine Moraemcy said that lava destroyed Mugerwa village, from where smoke and ash are visible.

"The village is completely destroyed, banana plantations are blazing, it is so spectacular," she said. The lava was flowing at 5 feet per minute, she added.

Pierre Ramazani, an aid worker with the French aid group Medecins du Monde, or Doctors of the World, said he saw hundreds of people walking on the roads, carrying only pans and mattresses.

Lindsey Davis, spokeswoman for the World Food Program in Nairobi, Kenya, said U.N. and other aid agencies were meeting to decide what could be done to help people displaced by the eruption.

The Nyiragongo and Nyamuragira volcanoes, about 13 miles and 25 miles northeast of Goma, are the only two active volcanoes in the region. They have erupted occasionally since 1979.

AP-ES-01-17-02 1233EST

-- Anonymous, January 17, 2002