In eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, approximately 2,000 people whose homes and fields were destroyed by a volcanic eruption, have created temporary homes made from plastic bags and sticks while they wait to be rehoused.
The families, who lost everything when Mount Nyiragongo erupted, are concerned about the problems they will face in their makeshift accommodation during the rainy season.
Even with the government building temporary houses and NGOs helping those affected by the eruption of Nyiragongo – the humanitarian crisis in the region persists.
The concern with the rainy season is not just about the lack of housing but also about the increase of diseases during that period.
Tens of thousands of people left the city of Goma and the surrounding regions when Mount Nyiragongo erupted on 22 May 2021, spewing lava near the city while destroying houses and killing more than 30 people.
The displaced residents were forced to move again one week later when authorities raised the alarm due to the possibility of another volcanic eruption.
Mount Nyiragongo, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, also erupted in 2002, leaving hundreds dead.
The lava coated the airport runways and also left more than 100,000 homeless in the aftermath.
The volcano also erupted in 1977, killing more than 600 people.
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