On 22 May 2021, the Nyiragongo volcano, which looms over Goma town in eastern DRC, erupted with lava streams pouring down towards the east in the direction of Rwanda. Another lava stream headed in the direction of Goma town and stopped 300 meters from Goma International Airport. The last major eruption (2002) resulted in over 250 deaths.
Following the eruption, many of the local population evacuated during the night towards Saké, located 27 km west of Goma, and another group crossed the border into Rwanda seeking refuge. Cross-border movements into Uganda were less significant and 90 per cent of Congolese have returned to the DRC.
On 23 May, a helicopter reconnaissance mission with the Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator and an OCHA team confirmed that lava has blocked the main RN 2 Rutshuru-Goma road – the principal supply line for food into Goma. Power lines and water supply have been damaged and cut-off to approx. 500,000 people.
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