Victims of Congo’s Volcano Eruption Blame Authorities For Sunday’s Disaster
Several lives and properties have been lost in DR Congo on Sunday May 23rd when larva from a volcanic eruption in mountain Uro Congo located at the outskirts of Goma covered dozens of homes in the eastern part of DR Congo, displacing people from homes and destroying valuable properties.
The city of Goma has a population of about 2million and after warning tremors on Saturday it was still a surprise when the river of molten coal flooded the city taking along with it recorded lives of at least fifteen people as the dwellers fled homes in hopes of out running lavar.
Fabien Materanya, a resident of Goma, says he has 4 of his family members, including his sister in law. Speaking to Al Jazeera news he said the incident is almost normal for him even though it was his first time of witnessing it in his lifetime the last eruption being more than 20 years ago.
Several others like Kambere Ombeni, another resident said the damage caused by the flood this time cost some people everything, himself included and the most painful being loss of valuable certificates and important documents.
Experts had been to the mountain four years ago to check the level of volcanic activity but the government had not bothered to take precautions against their warnings of a possible eruption soon, leaving the city dwellers vulnerable to the disaster.
The victims of Goma do not believe that they would get any further assistance from the government as some went about attempting to salvage whatever is left in the ruins though it doesn’t seem much. Others have since began moving out of reach and do not plan on returning anytime soon.
By: Jamila Abdul Wahab
