Thousands have fled a volcanic eruption in the Democratic Republic of Congo from Mount Nyiragongo on the outskirts of Goma City.

These were some volcanoes in news this year:

Mount Vesuvius, Taal Volcano, La Soufriere

Mount Nyiragongo

• Mount Nyiragongo is an active stratovolcano with an elevation of 3,470 m (11,385 ft) in the Virunga Mountains associated with the Albertine Rift.
• The main crater is about 2km wide and usually contains a lava lake.
• The crater presently has two distinct cooled lava benches within the crater walls.
• It is one of the 16 Decade Volcanoes.
• Nyiragongo’s lava lake has at times been the most voluminous known lava lake in recent history. The depth of the lava lake varies considerably.
• Nyiragongo and nearby Nyamuragira are together responsible for 40 percent of Africa’s historical volcanic eruptions.

Answer this PYQ in the comment box:

Q.Which of the following adds/add carbon dioxide to the carbon cycle on the planet Earth?

1. Volcanic action
2. Respiration
3. Photosynthesis
4. Decay of organic matter

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 1, 2 and 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

What are Decade Volcanoes?

• The Decade Volcanoes are 16 volcanoes identified by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior (IAVCEI).
• They are considered worthy of particular study in light of their history of large, destructive eruptions and proximity to densely populated areas.
• They are named Decade Volcanoes because the project was initiated in the 1990s as part of the United Nations-sponsored International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction.

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