Articles | Volume 26, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-26-1141-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-26-1141-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Mitigating Mazuku hazards: implementation and effectiveness of local dry-gas degassing measures in the Goma area (Virunga Volcanic Province)
Blaise Mafuko-Nyandwi
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Ecole Supérieure de Volcanologie, de Gestion des Risques et des Catastrophes, Université de Goma, Campus du Lac, Rue Eugène Serufuli 43, Quartier Katindo, Goma, North Kivu province, Congo
Related authors
Blaise Mafuko-Nyandwi, Bosco Mushage, Ishala Mayira, Elie Idrissa, Steev Ndimubanzi, Thérèse Mosange, and Claudine Mafuko
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1776, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1776, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences (NHESS).
Short summary
Short summary
People in Goma live near invisible gas hazards called mazuku, which are areas where carbon dioxide gas accumulates at ground level and can cause serious harm or death. We surveyed households and measured how far they live from these areas to understand how people perceive the risk. We found that perceptions vary by place and experience. Because relocation is often not possible, improving locally grounded risk communication is essential to reduce risk.
Blaise Mafuko Nyandwi, Matthieu Kervyn, François Muhashy Habiyaremye, François Kervyn, and Caroline Michellier
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 933–953, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-23-933-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-23-933-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Risk perception involves the processes of collecting, selecting and interpreting signals about the uncertain impacts of hazards. It may contribute to improving risk communication and motivating the protective behaviour of the population living near volcanoes. Our work describes the spatial variation and factors influencing volcanic risk perception of 2204 adults of Goma exposed to Nyiragongo. It contributes to providing a case study for risk perception understanding in the Global South.
Blaise Mafuko-Nyandwi, Bosco Mushage, Ishala Mayira, Elie Idrissa, Steev Ndimubanzi, Thérèse Mosange, and Claudine Mafuko
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1776, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1776, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences (NHESS).
Short summary
Short summary
People in Goma live near invisible gas hazards called mazuku, which are areas where carbon dioxide gas accumulates at ground level and can cause serious harm or death. We surveyed households and measured how far they live from these areas to understand how people perceive the risk. We found that perceptions vary by place and experience. Because relocation is often not possible, improving locally grounded risk communication is essential to reduce risk.
Blaise Mafuko Nyandwi, Matthieu Kervyn, François Muhashy Habiyaremye, François Kervyn, and Caroline Michellier
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 933–953, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-23-933-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-23-933-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Risk perception involves the processes of collecting, selecting and interpreting signals about the uncertain impacts of hazards. It may contribute to improving risk communication and motivating the protective behaviour of the population living near volcanoes. Our work describes the spatial variation and factors influencing volcanic risk perception of 2204 adults of Goma exposed to Nyiragongo. It contributes to providing a case study for risk perception understanding in the Global South.
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Editorial statement
This study offers integrated socio-spatial assessments of the mitigation of diffuse carbon dioxide degassing risk associated with Mazuku. The paper reveals how locally developed practices shape household perceptions of safety in Goma’s volcanic environment. The analysis advances community-centred, co-created risk governance for diffuse volcanic gas hazards. These findings provide a novel Global South perspective that bridges social perception with hazard monitoring, informing more inclusive and context-responsive strategies for managing persistent volcanic CO₂ risks.
This study offers integrated socio-spatial assessments of the mitigation of diffuse carbon...
Short summary
This paper studies how households in Goma (Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo) respond to mazuku – invisible, odourless carbon dioxide gas that accumulates in depressions. Surveys and interviews show that resource-intensive measures are adopted only by those who can afford them, while awareness measures are valued by all. The findings highlight that involving communities in designing risk mitigation that match their economic realities is essential.
This paper studies how households in Goma (Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo) respond to...
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