New
New
The eruption of Mount Nyiragongo
I can explain why Mount Nyiragongo erupted and the impacts of the eruption.
Lesson 7 of 12
New
New
- Year 8
The eruption of Mount Nyiragongo
I can explain why Mount Nyiragongo erupted and the impacts of the eruption.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Mount Nyiragongo is a volcano located in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the East African Rift System.
- On the 22nd May 2021, it began to erupt; this followed a deadly eruption in 2002, which reached the city of Goma.
- When the eruption happened, lava poured down the sides of the volcano.
- At least 450 000 people were displaced or evacuated due to the lava flows.
Keywords
Constructive plate boundary - where two tectonic plates separate
Economic impacts - consequences that relate to the way money is made, lost or spent
Social impacts - consequences that relate to people’s quality of life, e.g. healthcare
Infrastructure - all the basic systems in a country, such as transport and power supply
Common misconception
There are no plate boundaries in Africa.
Mount Nyiragongo is on a constructive plate boundary known as the East African Rift System, where the African plate is splitting into the Nubian and Somali plates.
It is worth researching the current state of the volcano to set the 2021 eruption in context, or asking students to find any updates for homework.
Teacher tip
Equipment
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What are tectonic plates?
What are tectonic plates?
Layers of clouds in Earth’s atmosphere
Big waves in the ocean
Heavy metal structures underground
Q2.What happens at a plate boundary?
What happens at a plate boundary?
Nothing changes
Volcanoes stop erupting
Earth’s magnetic field is created
Q3.What is a volcano?
What is a volcano?
A deep ocean trench
A mountain that forms from sand
A place where earthquakes never happen
Q4.What is magma?
What is magma?
Hard rock from space
A type of soil
Lava that has cooled
Q5.Molten rock that flows out of a volcano is called .
Molten rock that flows out of a volcano is called .
Q6.What type of plate boundary is most likely to have volcanoes?
What type of plate boundary is most likely to have volcanoes?
Conservative
Divergent
Transform
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.What is Mount Nyiragongo?
What is Mount Nyiragongo?
A folded mountain
A dormant volcano
A mountain on a conservative plate boundary
Q2.Which type of plate boundary is linked to the formation of Mount Nyiragongo?
Which type of plate boundary is linked to the formation of Mount Nyiragongo?
Destructive
Conservative
Collision
Q3.What is a social impact of the Mount Nyiragongo eruption?
What is a social impact of the Mount Nyiragongo eruption?
Lava flow destroyed crops
Gas emissions caused acid rain
Airports were shut for repairs
Q4.Which of the following is true about tectonic activity in Africa?
Which of the following is true about tectonic activity in Africa?
Africa does not have any tectonic plate boundaries
Africa lies on only one tectonic plate
Volcanoes only form on other continents
