WESTERN PROVINCE

RUBAVU — A Red Cross official has warned residents in Gisenyi and other residents neighboring volcano Virunga Mountains to keep alert following Sunday’s earthquake that struck Rwanda.

Michael Habumugisha, Rubavu Red Cross official said the weekend quake may be connected to volcanic eruption.

"We are working closely with the Observatoire Volcanologique de Goma (OVG), an organization responsible for monitoring of the two volcanoes in the Virunga- Nyiragongo [3.470m] and Nyamulagira [2.964m] to ensure the safety of the people in case of any eruption," he said.

"There is however no cause for alarm since we are closely following up the volcanic activities through the updates got from OVG," he added.

The weekend earthquake left close to 40 people dead and dozens admitted from the western districts of Rusizi and Nyamashekye in the former Cyangugu province.

He said that although OVG was yet to provide proof of the relationship between quakes and volcanic activities, residents should always be alert and prepared incase of any disaster caused by the volcanoes.

According to Jean Paul Musana the Western Province Red Cross Coordinator, disaster management was one of the responsibilities of the Red Cross.

"One of our responsibilities is to provide aid to people affected by various disasters but we also try to mitigate them and prevent devastating effects when they occur. That is why we always work closely with OVG to get updates on the possibilities of eruptions and other disasters," he explained.

Meanwhile, tension was high among many Gisenyi residents on Sunday. Many reportedly spent sleepless night following the warning by the State Minister for Water and Mines, Prof. Bikoro Munyanganizi on Radio Rwanda

The minister’s media briefing on Radio Rwanda on Sunday evening urged people in affected areas especially those whose houses developed cracks to be on alert saying more quakes were expected.

"I strongly believed it would strike after listening to the minister’s warning and other people’s rumors that it would strike at midnight. We believed it because even the Virunga Mountains in the neighboring Goma appeared changed with smoke and flames like objects seen on its pick from a distance," a resident identified as Francine Uwamahoro said.

"We waited anxiously outside in anticipation of a simultaneous occurrence of an earthquake and eruption. Thank God nothing happened," said Uwamahoro.

The quake felt across the Great Lakes region with a magnitude of 6.0 also killed people in DR Congo.

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