NYAMULAGIRA, MOUNT

also spelled Nyamlagiri, or Nyamuragira volcano in the Virunga Mountains of east-central Africa, 15 miles (24 km) northeast of Sake, in the volcano region of Virunga National Park, Congo (Kinshasa). It is about 10,023 feet (3,055 metres) high. The most active volcano in Africa, Nyamulagira often emits lava and ash, though fatalities are rare. Since 1882 there have been more than 35 eruptions, including a major one in 1938, when the southwest slope opened, and the lava reached Lake Kivu to the south. In 1998 lava from the volcano flowed some 6 miles (10 km) into the surrounding forest and forced the closure of several refugee camps. In January 2000 a series of eruptions occurred, but the presence of Congolese rebels in the surrounding area has hampered geological research.