Volcanic case study for GCSE and Alevel

1. Nyiragongo Eruption Case Study

2. Primary Impacts
• >ENVIROMENTAL
• Goma split in half
• 90km/h lava flow
• Opened a fissure 13km long x 2km deep
• 14 villages destroyed

3. • Primary Impacts
• >SOCIAL
• 45 killed first 24 hours
• Lake Kivu polluted by sulphurous gasses -
drinking water
• Lava flows created fires

4. Primary Impacts
• >ECONOMIC
• Lava crossed Goma Airport meaning it was
unusable.
• Immediate loss of businesses

5. Secondary Impacts
• >ENVIROMENTAL
• Several earthquakes followed the eruption
measuring up to 5 on the Richter scale

6. Secondary Impacts
• >SOCIAL
• 500000 people left homeless
• Cholera outbreak in refugee camps - death toll
adds to 147
• Water and power supplies destroyed
• 2 hospitals destroyed

7. Secondary Impacts
• >ECONOMIC
• 4500 buildings destroyed (40% of Goma)
• Many businesses destroyed leading to
widespread unemployment

8. Immediate Responses
• Aid agencies gave: bedding, water, food, tents,
clothes
• UN supplied 260 tonnes of food, enough for
700000 for a week
• 220000 people fled to Rwanda

9. Long term Responses
• UN set up camps for displaced people
• Rebuild efforts
• Cleaning of lava and ash from streets
• Volcanology taught in schools
• Investment into research and prediction