Volcano erupts in nearly two decades near Congo’s Goma, panicked residents flee

Congo’s Mount Nyiragongo erupted on Saturday, spewing lava onto a major highway and causing panic among the residents of nearby city, Goma. The volcano erupted for the first time in nearly two decades.

Congo’s Mount Nyiragongo erupted for the first time in nearly two decades Saturday, turning the night sky a fiery red and sending lava onto a major highway as panicked residents tried to flee Goma, a city of nearly 2 million. There was no immediate word on any casualties, but witnesses said that lava already had engulfed one highway that connects Goma with the city of Beni in North Kivu province. Mount Nyiragongo’s last eruption, in 2002, left hundreds dead and coated airport runways in lava. More than 100,000 people were left homeless in the aftermath, adding to the fear in Goma on Saturday night.