African Lake Emits Toxic Gas
At a glance:
- Series: Great Events from History II: Ecology and the Environment Series
- Categories: Science, Medicine, Health, Environmental Issues, Disasters
- Subcategories: Ecology, Environment, Conservation, Pollution, Toxic Waste
- Curriculum: African History
- Geographical Location: Cameroon
- Date: August 21, 1986
Article abstract: Carbon dioxide emissions from the supersaturated waters of volcanic Lake Nyos flowed down nearby valleys, suffocating thousands of people and livestock.
Summary of Event
On the evening of August 21, 1986, a mysterious gas emission from volcanic Lake Nyos in the African nation of Cameroon flowed down nearby valleys, killing about seventeen hundred people and eight thousand head of livestock. Many survivors reported hearing rumbling sounds. One witness heard bubbling sounds from the lake and saw a white cloud rising from the lake and a...
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