Volcanoes: Nyiragongo

Moung Nyiragongo is the most active volcanoes in the world, and contains the most active and largest active lake.  It has erupted 35 times since 19077, the latest in 2011 (I am writing this in 2023).  

We Nicole and I climbed Mt. Nyiragongo in Oct of 1977, nine months after is erupted, rupturing its crater wall and draining its lava lake in less than an. hour.  The lava flowed down the flanks of the volcano at speeds of up to 60 mph, the fastest lava flow recorded to date, killing at least 50 people. When we looked into the crater, the lava lake was gone.  We found a VW microbus on the mountainside; we later learned that its owners escaped injury, but their dog, whom they had left in the microbus while they continued climbing, died in the eruption.