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In Pictures: DR Congo’s deadly volcano

Mount Nyiragongo is reopening to the public, allowing visitors to climb the peak and see the world’s biggest lava lake.

Mount Nyiragongo towers over Kanyarucinya, on the outskirts of Goma, where tens of thousands of people took refuge in August 2012, during the M23 rebellion.
By Phil Moore
Published On 16 Nov 2014

Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo – Mount Nyiragongo towers over the city of Goma, in the east of the DRC. In 2012 and 2013, M23 rebels and Congolese army soldiers fought at the base of the mountain – which is an active volcano – and tens of thousands of displaced people camped out under its shadow.

Following the defeat of M23, the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) moved into the area.

Since the end of the hostilities, rangers from the Virunga National Park have been clearing rebels from the volcano.

Now, Mount Nyiragongo is reopening to the public for the first time in more than two years, allowing visitors to climb to its summit and stare down into the world’s largest lava lake. The lava lake is still active from an eruption in 2002, which wiped out at least 15 percent of Goma.

Two Congolese army soldiers look towards the volcano during heavy fighting in the foothills between government troops and M23 rebels in July 2013.
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Park rangers arrive at the Kibati outpost, ready to embark on a patrol up the volcano.
Aside from escorting tourists up the volcano, the rangers are clearing the volcano area of members of the FDLR rebel group.
Nyiragongo(***)s sub-crater, the site of the 2002 eruption that devastated parts of the city of Goma.
Solange (L) and Francine (R), two of only four female rangers working for the Virunga park, stand at the freezing summit of Nyiragongo.
A view of Nyiragongo(***)s lava pool, including the two lava "benches", seen from the rim as a cloud rolls in.
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Two of the refuges at the summit of the volcano, where visitors can spend the night.
A Virunga park ranger stands on the rim of Nyiragongo.
The volcano is still active from the 2002 eruption, but lava is limited to the crater.
At least 15 percent of the city of Goma was destroyed by the 2002 eruption, leaving about 120,000 people homeless.