Logo link to homepage

Report on Nyamulagira (DR Congo) — 9 October-15 October 2002


Nyamulagira

Smithsonian / US Geological Survey Weekly Volcanic Activity Report,
9 October-15 October 2002
Managing Editor: Gari Mayberry

Please cite this report as:

Global Volcanism Program, 2002. Report on Nyamulagira (DR Congo). In: Mayberry, G (ed.), Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 9 October-15 October 2002. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey.

Weekly Report (9 October-15 October 2002)

Nyamulagira

DR Congo

1.408°S, 29.2°E; summit elev. 3058 m

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


During a flight over Nyamuragira on 27 September, researchers confirmed that the eruption had ended. Only fumarolic activity was observed and weak tremor was recorded.

Geological Summary. Africa's most active volcano, Nyamulagira (also known as Nyamuragira), is a massive high-potassium basaltic shield about 25 km N of Lake Kivu and 15 km NE of the steep-sided Nyiragongo volcano. The summit is truncated by a small 2 x 2.3 km caldera that has walls up to about 100 m high. Documented eruptions have occurred within the summit caldera, as well as from the numerous flank fissures and cinder cones. A lava lake in the summit crater, active since at least 1921, drained in 1938, at the time of a major flank eruption. Recent lava flows extend down the flanks more than 30 km from the summit as far as Lake Kivu; extensive lava flows from this volcano have covered 1,500 km2 of the western branch of the East African Rift.

Source: Observatoire Volcanologique de Goma (OVG)