Volcanoes of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) (6)

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Significant volcanic eruptions: Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

In historic times, at least 3 volcanoes have been active in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), including Nyamuragira, Nyiragongo, and Visoke volcanoes. A total of 66 eruptions have been witnessed and documented since 1865.
The table below lists the most recent volcanic eruptions, significant eruptive episodes or related events in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) since 1900.

Date	Volcano	VEI	Region	Deaths	Damage
2018 Apr 18 - ongoing	Nyamuragira Summit caldera	0	DRCongo
2002 May 17 ? - ongoing	Nyiragongo	2	DRCongo
2021 May 22 (eruption 2002 May 17 ? - ongoing)	Nyiragongo	2	DRCongo	32	heavy	Info
2021 May 22: Initial reports on 23 May 2021 reported 15 fatalities that included deaths from road accidents during an evacuation of Goma and its surroundings, and include four deaths that happened during an attempted prisoner escape at Munzenze. Two of the dead were overcome by fire and lava that coursed into some 17 villages but stopped short of the border city of Goma. According to Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) estimates, six-hundred homes around Goma had been destroyed and five schools flattened. (Reference #12942, Reference #12943) On 26 May 2021, the death toll was increased to 32 with at least 2,500 homes destroyed by sudden lava flows. (Reference #12945) While 32 persons are feared dead, at least 400,000 people are currently internally displaced in DRC while 7,000 persons have fled to Rwanda as refugees. Five schools and several health infrastructure were destroyed by the lava. It is reported that at least 5,000 households have lost their homes and property. (Reference #12962) Cited references #2432 Venzke, E., R.W. Wunderman, L. McClelland, T. Simkin, J.F. Luhr, L. Siebert, and G. Mayberry (eds.) (2002-): Global Volcanism, 1968 to the Present. Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program Digital Information Series, GVP-4 (http://www.volcano.si.edu/reports/). #10953 Siebert, Lee, Tom Simkin, Paul Kimberly (2010): Volcanoes of the World, Third Edition, Geoscience Press, Inc., University of California Press, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., 551 p. #12942 Africa Times (2021): At least 15 dead after Mount Nyiragongo volcano eruption. Published 23 May 2021. Updated at 11:47am. Link #12943 CNN (2021): 8,000 people cross from the Democratic Republic of Congo into Rwanda following volcano eruption. Published 24 May 2021. Link #12945 Africa Times (2021): DRC volcano toll reaches 32, quakes shake neighboring Rwanda. Published 26 May 2021. Updated at 12:39pm. Link #12962 ACT Alliance (2021): Rapid Response Fund: Response to volcano eruption in Goma. No. 9. Link Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
2016 Nov 27 - 2017 May 2	Nyamuragira Summit crater	0	DRCongo
2014 Jun 22 - 2016 May 14	Nyamuragira Summit crater	0	DRCongo
2011 Nov 6 - 2012 Mar 16 ?	Nyamuragira NW flank	2	DRCongo
2010 Jan 2 - Jan 29	Nyamuragira Summit caldera and SSE flank	1?	DRCongo
2006 Nov 27 - Dec 5 ?	Nyamuragira South flank	2	DRCongo
2004 May 8 - May 28 ±3 d.	Nyamuragira Summit and NNW flank	2?	DRCongo
2002 Jul 25 - Sep 16 ±15 d.	Nyamuragira Summit caldera, north & south flanks	2?	DRCongo
2002 Jan 17 - Feb 3 or later	Nyiragongo South flank (2800-1570 m), summit crater	1	DRCongo
2002 Jan 17 (eruption 2002 Jan 17 - Feb 3 or later)	Nyiragongo	1	DRCongo	100	heavy	Info
2002 Jan 17: A major eruption began on January 17, 2002. The eruption caused lava flows that moved directly into the city of Goma and continued to Lake Kivu. Reports indicate that flows destroyed 25-75% of the city, including 10,000 homes. Approximately 45 people died as a direct result of the burning of homes. An additional 50-100 people were said to have died when hot lava caused a gas station to explode on January 21. Press accounts indicated that volcanologists tentatively suggested that Nyiragongo's volcanism was due to seismicity producing fissures up to several km in length along the E African rift, allowing magma to reach the surface. Cited references #2432 Venzke, E., R.W. Wunderman, L. McClelland, T. Simkin, J.F. Luhr, L. Siebert, and G. Mayberry (eds.) (2002-): Global Volcanism, 1968 to the Present. Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program Digital Information Series, GVP-4 (http://www.volcano.si.edu/reports/). Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
2001 Feb 6 - Apr 5 ±4 d.	Nyamuragira North and SSE flanks	2?	DRCongo
2000 Jan 27 - Feb 10 or later	Nyamuragira SE flank (Ngerageze)	2?	DRCongo
1998 Oct 17 - Oct 25 or later	Nyamuragira	2?	DRCongo
1996 Dec 1 - Dec 5 or later	Nyamuragira	3	DRCongo
1994 Jun 23 - 1996 Mar 16 ±15 d.	Nyiragongo	1	DRCongo
1994 Jul 4 - Aug 25 or later	Nyamuragira West flank (Kimera) and summit	2?	DRCongo
1991 Sep 20 - 1993 Feb 8	Nyamuragira NE flank 1530 m (Mikombe)	3	DRCongo
1989 Apr 24 - Aug 15 ±5 d.	Nyamuragira Summit, SE and East flank	3	DRCongo
1987 Dec 30 - 1988 Jan 4	Nyamuragira North Flank (Gafuranindi)	1	DRCongo
1986 Jul 16 - Aug 20	Nyamuragira South flank (near Kitazungurwa)	2	DRCongo
1984 Feb 23 - Mar 14	Nyamuragira NW flank (Kivandimwe)	2	DRCongo
1982 Jun 21 - Oct 17 ±15 d.	Nyiragongo	1	DRCongo
1981 Dec 25 - 1982 Jan 14	Nyamuragira SE flank (Rugarambiro)	3	DRCongo
1980 Jan 30 - Feb 24	Nyamuragira North flank (Gasenyi)	3	DRCongo
1976 Dec 23 - 1977 Jun 15 ±5 d.	Nyamuragira SSW flank (Murara and Harakandi)	1	DRCongo
1927 Mar 16 ±15 d. - 1977 Jan 10	Nyiragongo	1	DRCongo
1977 Jan 10	Nyiragongo North, south, and west flanks	1	DRCongo
1977 Jan 10	Nyiragongo	1	DRCongo	50-100 (*)	heavy	Info
Extremely fluid, fast-moving lava flows draining from lava lake killed numbers variously estimated at none to 2,000 persons. Best estimate seems to be 50 to 100. Several villages destroyed. Cited references #1412 Simkin, Tom, and Lee Siebert with the collaboration of Russell Blong, Jonathan Dehn, Christopher Newhall, Roland Pool, and Thomas C. Stein (1994): Volcanoes of the World, Second Edition, A Regional Directory, Gazetteer, and Chronology of Volcanism During the Last 10,000 Years, Geoscience Press, Inc., Tucson, Arizona, in association with Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program, Washington, D.C., p. 164-176. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1971 Mar 24 - May 5 ±4 d.	Nyamuragira WNW flank (Rugarama)	3	DRCongo
1967 Apr 23 - May 9	Nyamuragira North flank (Gakararanga)	2	DRCongo
1958 Aug 7 - Nov 21	Nyamuragira North flank (Kitsimbanyi), NNW rift	2	DRCongo
1957 Dec 28	Nyamuragira Summit caldera and SSE fissure zone	0	DRCongo
1957 Aug 1 - Aug 3	Visoke 11 km north of summit (Mugogo)	1	DR Congo/Rwanda
1956 Nov 17 - Nov 18	Nyamuragira Summit caldera and NNW fissure zone	1	DRCongo
1954 Feb 21 - May 28	Nyamuragira SSE fissure zone (Mihaga)	1	DRCongo
1951 Nov 16 - 1952 Jan 16	Nyamuragira NNW fissure zone (Shabubembe-Ndakaza)	2	DRCongo
1951 Jul 25 - Jul 28	Nyamuragira SW flank (Gituro)	1	DRCongo
1948 Mar 1 - Jul 15 ±5 d.	Nyamuragira SW flank (Gituro, Muhuboli), N flank	2	DRCongo
1938 Jan 28 - 1940 Jun 25 ±5 d.	Nyamuragira Summit, SE and SW flanks (Tshambene)	1	DRCongo
1938 Jan 28 (eruption 1938 Jan 28 - 1940 Jun 25 ±5 d.)	Nyamuragira	1	DRCongo		light	Info
1938 Jan 28: A lava lake in the summit crater, active since at least 1921, drained in 1938 during a major flank eruption. The lava flows from the eruption set hundreds of square kilometers of forest on fire destroying arable land. The flows were said to have reached Lake Kivu and the contrast between the lava and the water generated mini tsunamis. Cited references #2432 Venzke, E., R.W. Wunderman, L. McClelland, T. Simkin, J.F. Luhr, L. Siebert, and G. Mayberry (eds.) (2002-): Global Volcanism, 1968 to the Present. Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program Digital Information Series, GVP-4 (http://www.volcano.si.edu/reports/). Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1921 - 1938 Jan 17 ±3 d.	Nyamuragira Caldera	0	DRCongo
1920 - 1921	Nyiragongo	1	DRCongo
1920	Nyamuragira SSW flank (Lake Kivu)	0	DRCongo
1918	Nyiragongo	1	DRCongo
1912 Dec 3 - 1913 Apr	Nyamuragira SW flank (Rumoka), and summit	3	DRCongo
1912 Dec 3 (eruption 1912 Dec 3 - 1913 Apr)	Nyamuragira	3	DRCongo	20		Info
1912 Dec 3: 20 villagers were killed when a lava flow changed directions. Cited references #1412 Simkin, Tom, and Lee Siebert with the collaboration of Russell Blong, Jonathan Dehn, Christopher Newhall, Roland Pool, and Thomas C. Stein (1994): Volcanoes of the World, Second Edition, A Regional Directory, Gazetteer, and Chronology of Volcanism During the Last 10,000 Years, Geoscience Press, Inc., Tucson, Arizona, in association with Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program, Washington, D.C., p. 164-176. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1911 Aug - Oct	Nyiragongo Southern pit	1	DRCongo
1909 May	Nyamuragira Summit caldera	1?	DRCongo
1907 Nov 7 - Dec 5	Nyamuragira Summit caldera	3	DRCongo
1908	Nyamuragira Summit caldera	?	DRCongo
1907 Apr - May	Nyamuragira Summit caldera	1	DRCongo
1906	Nyiragongo	1	DRCongo
1905 Jul 22 - Sep 25 or later	Nyamuragira East flank (Kanamaharagi)	2	DRCongo
1905	Nyiragongo	1	DRCongo
1904 Apr - May 16 ?	Nyamuragira SW flank (Nahimbi)	2	DRCongo
1902 Apr 22 ?	Nyamuragira SSE fissure zone	0	DRCongo
1902	Nyiragongo	1	DRCongo
1901	Nyamuragira East flank (Singiro)	2	DRCongo
1901	Nyiragongo	1	DRCongo
1900	Nyiragongo	1	DRCongo

(*) Estimated numbers

Remark:

Our list of volcanic eruptions closely follows the database of eruptions of the Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Project (GVP), the internationally most recognized data source for volcanic eruptions, but also includes significant eruptive episodes or related volcano events. "Volcanic eruptions" are usually to be understood as sequences of individual eruptive episodes that can follow each other, or even overlap (if several vents are involved), and can last many years, decades or even longer. For example, the current activity of Stromboli volcano is understood as a single eruption that has been ongoing since 1934.

Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Volcanic Eruptions Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K | Global Volcanism Project / Smithsonian Institution

Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) FAQ

+When was the last volcanic eruption in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)?

The last volcanic eruption in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was from Nyamuragira volcano. It began in 2018 and is continuing (as of July 2025).

+When was the first documented volcanic eruption in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)?

The first historically documented eruption occurred 1865 from Nyamuragira volcano.

+How often do volcanoes in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) erupt?

Volcanoes in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) erupt almost every year. Since the first historically documented eruption 1865in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), historic sources have shown nearly continuous volcanic activity: The Global Volcanism Project counts 66 historic eruptions until now, spanning a total of 119 out of 160 years. In other words, a volcano in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is active roughly every one in 1.3 years on average. This value is likely underestimated, because the record of historically documented activity is likely inclomplete the further back in time we look.

+How active are the volcanoes in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)?

Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is volcanically extremely active: Since 1900, at least 3 volcanoes in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have been active. Almost every year, at least one volcano has erupted in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The latest eruption from Nyamuragira volcano volcano is still continuing at present.

+When was the largest volcanic eruption in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)?

The largest eruption in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in historic times was from Nyamuragira volcano. It occurred in 1996. It ranks as a "vulcanian" eruption with a magnitude 3 on the VEI (Volcanic Explosivity Index) scale.

Volcano List

Karisimbi

(Stratovolcano 4507 m / 14,787 ft)

Karisimbi volcano with snow cover seen from the rim of Nyiragongo

Karisimbi is the highest of the Virunga volcanoes in Central Africa in the border region of Rwanda and DR Congo. It is the 11th highest mountain of Africa and currently in a dormant stage. There are no confirmed historical eruptions.
Its name stems from word "amasimbi" in l... [more info]

May-ya-moto

(Fumarole field 950 m / 3,117 ft)

[more info]

Nyamuragira

(Shield volcano 3058 m / 10,033 ft)

Eruption of Nyamuragira volcano from the Kimanura east vent in mid January 2012

Nyamuragira (also spelled Nyamulagira) is a large shield volcano similar to Mauna Loa on Hawai'i and is one of Africa's most active volcanoes. Every few years, it produces eruptions often from radial fissures emitting lava fountains and large, fluid lava flows traveling many kilo... [more info]

Nyiragongo

(Stratovolcano 3470 m / 11,384 ft)

The lava lake of Nyiragongo volcano

Nyiragongo (also spelled Niragongo), one of the world's most beautiful and active volcanoes, is a large stratovolcano near Lake Kivu at the eastern border of DRCongo with Rwanda in the Virunga National Park.
It has a 1.2 km diameter summit caldera containing the world's mo... [more info]

Tshibinda

(Cinder cones 1460+ m / 4,790 ft)

[more info]

Visoke

(Stratovolcano 3711 m / 12,175 ft)

[more info]

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News

Wed, 11 Jun 2025, 14:00

Nyamulagira volcano (DR Congo) - Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report for 4 June-10 June 2025 (Continuing Activity)

A satellite image acquired on 10 June showed continuing eruptive activity at Nyamulagira. Bright thermal anomalies indicated continuing activity at the summit crater and active lava flows on the W and NW flanks, though weather clouds obscured views. A thermal anomaly at the possible end of a lava flow on the NW flank was about 3.3 km from the crater rim. ... Read all

Wed, 7 May 2025, 14:00

Nyamulagira volcano (DR Congo) - Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report for 30 April-6 May 2025 (Continuing Activity)

Satellite images acquired on 21 and 26 April and on 1 May showed continuing activity at Nyamulagira. Though weather clouds particularly obscured the summit area in all three scenes, bright thermal anomalies indicated continuing activity at the summit crater and active lava flows on the W flank. ... Read all