DR Congo’s Mount Nyiragongo Eruption Causes Thousands To Flee

Goma’s sky turned a fiery red after the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Mount Nyiragongo erupted for the first time in nearly two decades on Saturday.

So far it is not known if there are any casualties but locals reported the shocking scenes while government has launched an evacuation plan for the eastern city of Goma, which houses nearly 2 million people.

Taking mattresses and belongings, thousands of residents fled towards the border with Rwanda in the east hours before the government announced the evacuation plan.

Rwandan authorities said about 3,000 people already had officially crossed from Goma while Rwanda’s state media said people would be accommodated in schools and places of worship.

Other residents fled to higher grounds to the west of the city.

The last time the volcano erupted in 2002, hundreds were killed and more than 100,000 people were left homeless.

Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi said he would be returning home on Sunday from Europe earlier than planned in order to help coordinate relief efforts.