Nyiragongo is a stratovolcano located in Africa in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It has been active since 1970 with its most recent eruption happening on May 22, 2021. This eruption caused the destruction of over 1000 homes and killed 32 people. In 1977 part of the lava lake cracked sending lava 60 kmph down the slope, the lake was empty in 30 minutes, killing over 50 people.
Nyiragongo is part of the East African Rift System. The rift is over 6,400 km long and 40 km wide. A rift valley is where two tectonic plates move apart, they can be found on land and in the ocean. The tectonic plates that form the East African Rift System are microplates, these are small sections that are separate from tectonic plates and move independently. Three microplates make up the East African Rift System, the Victoria, Rovuma and Lwandle microplates.
