Nyiragongo, 2002, DRC,Case Study
context: pre disaster 'normality'
socioeconomic characters / vulnerabilities
developing country
$10 per day
median age 17
HDI 0.48
life expectancy of 65
most people work in primary trade - Farming, mining, fishing etc..
physical hazards
close to Rwanda. eruption can affect neighbouring countries.
lake nearby -> traps CO2
on a divergent boundary -> mafic, low viscosity magma = shield volcano.
Frequent depressions in the ground. C02 collects here, it is denser than oxygen,in large amounts, can suffocate people
Goma population : 450,000 people.
complex political situation in the East of the drc, conflict.
mitigation / preparedness
planning
due to the political conflict in the East, the government had limited funding and attention for planning for an eruption. local authorities did not heed the warnings.
there is Goma Volcano Observatory they have info about how to plan for the eruption.
poor infrastructure.
Monitoring activity, predictions
Observatory did predict the eruption.
The response
The disaster: Impacts
PRIMARY
SECONDARY
displaced 300,000 people into Rwanda and 100,000 to other locations. Housed in Refugee camps that were associated with risks of illness and death from diseases such as cholera.
200 deaths due to carbon monoxide poisoning. CO2 collects in depresstions.
15000 homes destroyed
massive decline in wages. down to $1.50/day
businesses destroyed - Goma was a economic hub in DRC.
unemployment escalated.
short term relief
refugee camps
the first 4 months Goma received food rations from NGO world vision in partnership with UN World food program -> maize, oil, beans to 439,000 people
long term relief
NGO's built 6 schools
many other NGO's were involved in the immediate response.
NEGATIVE: World Vision had to prioritise future funding to other areas both the eastern DRC due to the on going civil war troubles (child malnutrition, malaria morbidity, children's rights)
The US government worked with NGO's and UN agencies to provide approximately $5.0million in assistance.
Additionally the US government established a volcano awareness campaign and identified appropriate evacuation routes in the case of future eruptions. this was in the form of a grant to concern worldwide for $192533. This support continued for 3 years.
The UN provided funding support to the Goma volcano observatory to buy new equipment, provide staff training and set up partnerships. However this $1.8million was not renewed several years later amid corruption allegations at the GVO leaving it unable to pay internet bills and monitor data. The world bank stressed to the Congolese government that it was essential to giving the GVO funding resources to cover its operational costs, but the government did not step forward.