Mount Nyiragongo spews fresh lava, forces thousands to flee Dr Congo's Goma

Tens of thousands of people fled the eastern city of Goma when fresh lava began to spew from the flanks of nearby Mount Nyiragongo, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, throwing up clouds of noxious fumes and filling the sky with an ominous fiery glow.(Image Credit: Reuters)

Lava from a volcanic eruption approached the airport of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo’s main city of Goma, and the government urged residents to evacuate.

A person attempts to extinguish fire on a building after the volcanic eruption of Mount Nyiragongo, in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo.

As the red glow of Mount Nyiragongo tinged the night sky above the lakeside city of about 2 million, thousands of Goma residents carrying mattresses and other belongings fled the city on foot - many toward the frontier with Rwanda.

Nyiragongo's last eruption in 2002 killed 250 people and left 120,000 homeless.

It is one of the world's most active volcanoes and is considered among the most dangerous.

Rwanda's Ministry in Charge of Emergency Management said more than 3,500 Congolese have crossed the border.

New fractures were opening in the volcano, letting lava flow south toward the city after initially flowing east toward Rwanda, said Dario Tedesco, a volcanologist based in Goma.

Residents walk through the smoke from smoldering lava flowing from Mount Nyiragongo in Goma.

The lava who flew from Mount Nyiragongo during last night eruption is seen breaking through a gate of a private home in Goma.