Nyiragongo Eruption in Congo Click Image to Enlarge  (JPG) (110 KB) ( 692 x 829 )

ASTER image acquired January 28, 2002 over Goma and Nyiragongo volcano. A river of molten rock poured from the Nyiragongo volcano in Congo on January 18, 2002, a day after it erupted, killing dozens, swallowing buildings and forcing hundreds of thousands to flee the town of Goma. The flow continued into Lake Kivu. One of Africa's most notable volcanoes, Nyiragongo contained an active lava lake in its deep summit crater that drained catastrophically through its outer flanks in 1977. Extremely fluid, fast-moving lava flows draining from the summit lava lake in 1977 killed 50 to 100 people, and several villages were destroyed. The image covers an area of 21 x 24 km and combines a thermal band in red, and two infrared bands in green and blue. The image is centered at 1.5 degrees south latitude, 29.5 degrees east longitude.