In response to the eruption of the Nyiragongo volcano in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is providing $100,000 in emergency assistance to provide safe drinking water to people affected and to assist in cholera prevention efforts.
On May 22, the Nyiragongo volcano in the DRC started erupting, triggering a series of small earthquakes. While lava flows stopped about one mile from Goma, the eruption caused significant damage in North Kivu, including to a critical water pipeline, cutting off drinking water access for as many as 500,000 people. USAID disaster experts are conducting assessments to determine additional needs and coordinating with local officials and humanitarian partners. In addition, the USAID-supported U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Volcano Disaster Assistance Program (VDAP), which leverages the U.S. scientific and technological expertise of the USGS, is providing technical assistance to DRC’s Goma Volcano Observatory to help track and analyze Nyiragongo’s activity.
USAID offers its deepest condolences to the families and communities affected by the eruption of Nyiragongo volcano and stands with the people of the DRC as they begin to recover.
The United States is the single largest donor of humanitarian assistance in the Democratic Republic of Congo, providing more than $131 million in Fiscal Year 2021 to date. For the latest updates on USAID’s humanitarian assistance in the DRC, visit Democratic Republic of the Congo | Humanitarian Assistance | US Agency for International Development.