Nyiragongo volcano

Forced march Seven hours walking through the dense jungle to the peak of the Nyiragongo volcano.

Armed The rangers are armed as a protection against rebel attacks.

Documentation Jonathan Kavuke takes photos for documenting changes of the lava lake.

Night During the night the sky colours red because of the lava lake.

Night watch The rangers share shifts for the night watch.

Huts Just finished: Simple wood huts give shelter.

Lava lake The Nyiragongo is one of the most active volcanoes.

Dangerous Going to close to the crater rim has already taken lifes.

Lava lake The lava seethes 500 m below the crater rim.

Gases Analysis of the gases help forecasting eruptions.

Measuring Marcellin Kasereka measures the gases' concentrations.

Fog Even in dense fog Jonathan Kavuke finds his way at the crater.

Marcellin Kasereka is a researcher at the volcano obervation institute in Goma.

Jonathan Kavuke studies physics in Bukavu and has worked for the institute for 5 years.

Jonathan Kavuke observes one the most dangerous volcanoes

This reportage was published in German in the TAZ at the 2 July 2011
Text by Simone Schlindwein

Mount Nyiragongo (3,472 m) is a stratovolcano in the Virunga Mountains associated with the Great Rift Valley in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Nyiragongo’s lava lake is the most voluminous known lava lake. The depth of the lava lake varies considerably. Nyiragongo and nearby Nyamuragira are together responsible for 40% of Africa’s historical volcanic eruptions.

: 2.7.2011

Nyiragongo volcano

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