Yaounde
At least 15 people died after a large volcano erupted in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, authorities said late Sunday.
Thousands were forced to flee when Mt. Nyiragongo, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, erupted on Saturday, turning the sky red and spewing out a river of lava that threatened the nearly 2 million population of Goma, a city in the country’s North Kivu region.
The lava flow had stopped by Sunday morning, and people were slowly returning to destroyed or damaged houses.
At least 10 villages have been devastated by the eruption, government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya told a news conference.
He said nine victims died in a road accident as people fled the affected area, while two more were burned to death by the lava.
Four prisoners were killed while trying to escape from a prison, he added.
A government delegation including seven ministers arrived in Goma on Monday morning to support provincial authorities in the emergency response, according to Muyaya.—Agencies
