File: Be sure you have an application to open this file type before downloading.Click here for more information. In 2019, terrorist activity involving ISIS-WA and the Islamist group Boko Haram was responsible for 100 attacks carried out in northern Cameroon resulting in several civilians being killed. The gas suffocated over 1,746 people, and over 3,000 cattle surrounding Lake Nyos for up to 25 kilometers away. Those living farthest from the epicenter mentioned first smelling something foul, and then seeing a thick gaseous entity engulfing farmhouses and buildings along the way. Lake Nyos is located in western Cameroon, adjacent to Nigeria, in the elbow region of west Africa. Whatever it was, the water got saturated with carbon dioxide. Hundreds toppled to the ground over fires, uneaten dinners, and dirt roads. The installation of a degassing column in the middle of the lake was proposed by several researchers. You will receive all necessary materials including one plastic volcano model for a class demonstration, a teacher’s guide, and student copymasters. After months of examination and research, scientists revealed how the eruption had happened. When the release of 1.6 million tons of concentrated carbon dioxide bubbles ascended from the lake, it created a gaseous haze of white that ascended 99.8 kilometer (62 mi) per hour and then descended upon the southern shore. On August 21, 1986 the carbon dioxide suddenly erupted from Lake Nyos. The origins of human beings according to ancient Sumerian texts, Unearthing Ancient Magic in The Runes –Messages with Hidden Symbols and Powerful Numbers, Petroglyphic Features of Portable Rock Art, The Northern Mysteries Current: Futhark and Mystery Schools of the Viking Age, Medusa, The Lake That Turns Flesh Into Stone, Lake of Blood: The dark history of Laguna Yahuarcocha, Ecuador, Deadly Volcanoes: The Eruptions that Reshaped the World and Became Legends, https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidbressan/2019/08/21/the-deadly-cloud-at-lake-nyos/#4cb9e0015dbf, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/defusing-africas-killer-lakes-88765263/, https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2020/country-chapters/cameroon, https://www.nature.com/articles/srep06151, Reunification Monument for a Divided Cameroon, Lost in the Mists of Time: The Ancient Sao Civilization in Central Africa. It began with the buildup of carbon dioxide within the lake. Picts, Gaels, and Scots: Exploring their Mysterious (and Sometimes Mythical) Origins. The Copper Age: When Metallurgy Came to Rule the World. Many other lake myths within Cameroon also exist, which depict evil white mist spirits emerging from the lake to consume the souls of the unsuspecting. According to rumors, evil spirits regularly emerged from the lake to scare locals. The solution reached by many of the international scientists was to create a degassing network of tubes to be installed throughout the lake. Throughout Africa, many impressive monuments have been raised to commemorate the struggle for independence. August 21 2018. A column of water and foam measuring about 330 feet formed on the surface of the water, causing a wave of about 82 feet to hit one side of the lake. Prior to that the only, well documented, major natural catastrophe was the 1983 earthquake which killed at least 275 people in northwestern Guinea. “The Deadly Cloud At Lake Nyos” in Forbes. In an instant, 1746 residents of the nearby villages of Nyos and Cha were killed. They already knew that the lake was actually a dormant volcano. Boyle's Law-is an experimental gas law which describes how the prssure of gas tends to decrease as the volume of a gas increases. Those whose lives were spared, buried their dead and then made their way to refugee camps being set up by the Cameroon Government who had received word within a few hours of the incident and were in the process of evacuating 4,000 villagers who lived in the region. For most of the cattle, everything occurred in an instant. At least 1,200 people are feared dead in Cameroon, West Africa, after a cloud of lethal gas escaped from a volcanic lake. To their dismay, the military found more corpses than survivors. Some experts attribute the cause to a landslide, others stick to a small volcanic eruption on the lake’s bed, and others theorize the cause as cool rainwater. If the CO2 saturation level is reached, bubbles appear and draw a rich With 1788 people dead, and 55% of the livestock gone, the researchers worried that there would be a lack of farming jobs available. The evidence revealed itself through the reddish-brown discoloration perceived in the lake and foam present along a 25 meter (82 ft) stretch of the southern shore. Available at: https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2020/country-chapters/cameroon. Many scholars, such as Eby and Evans (2006), have discussed the many beliefs and traditions of peoples inhabiting the Lake Nyos region of Cameroon in Africa. (United States Geological Survey / Public Domain ). A second, deadlier eruption happened at neighboring Lake Nyos in 1986, this time releasing over 80 million m 3 of CO 2, killing around 1,700 people and 3,500 livestock, again by asphyxiation. More than a week after its eruption, Lake Nyos has lost its blue hue and turned brown. All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions © 2021 worldatlas.com. Soon after, the international media began to report on what had occurred. You can also see vegetation damage caused by the water surge that followed the emergence of the toxic gas cloud. However, others suspect that there must have been some volcanic eruption on the lake’s bed. What caused the tragic events surrounding Lake Nyos? Rarely will a lake kill such a number of people. The few fortunate survivors reported smelling intense sulfur, feeling a burning in the eyes, and a tightening the chest. Though not completely unprecedented, it was the first known large-scale asphyxiation caused by a natural event. Needless to say, the growing fear of terrorism was at the forefront of public consciousness at the time of the dramatic events. Most of the relocated villagers were housed in tent refugee camps placed around the edges of Lake Nyos. After all, only two years beforehand, a similar eruption event occurred in Lake Monoun, just 99.8 kilometer (62 miles) southeast of Nyos. 2019. The goal of Ancient Origins is to highlight recent archaeological discoveries, peer-reviewed academic research and evidence, as well as offering alternative viewpoints and explanations of science, archaeology, mythology, religion and history around the globe. Students find out when they re-create the conditions at Lake Nyos. In addition, none of the witnesses reported a tremor. In the image, one of the suffocated cows that the authorities discovered the next day. But, not all the survivors were able to bury their dead. Using only simple materials such as a candle, a plastic cup, vinegar, and baking soda, students can observe first hand the nature of carbon dioxide gas and its role in this event. Though it seemed that life returned to normal in Cameroon, harder times were to come in the form of social unrest, growing terrorist movements, economic collapse, and crimes against humanity. The Copper Age, brought about by the discovery of copper, paved the way for vast social developments, new economies and warrior cultures. September 2003. Although many of the precautions are now in place, scientists from all over the world continually return for further studies on Lake Nyos in the hope of preventing similar eruptions from happening in other crater lakes around the world. Lake Nyos is a "volcanic lake" - one of over 30 in Cameroon. The Rocks, Stained Red with Blood: A Son of Hercules Slew Giants at Salcombe, Devon? About 0.29 cubic meters of gas may have been released in the process. The Lake Nyos disaster occurred on 21 August 1986. With tensions rising in the region, the Cameroon Government of the time was significantly preoccupied by the potential for acts of terrorism. In a strange natural phenomenon, the lake’s position inside the crater of a dormant volcano means that gas rises from an underground magma chamber. Lake Nyos sits inside a volcanic crater. Those who awoke and emerged from this asphyxiating catastrophic event found their family members dead, sprawled across household floors, beds, and porches. Is there a scientific explanation for what happened at Lake Nyos? “Cameron, the events of 2019” in Human Rights Watch . ( Fabian / Adobe Stock). Was it the powerful lake sending out evil vapor demons in retaliation for disrespect of its sacred waters? A preposterous idea, right? Within days, an international effort was made by a plethora of scientists to aid the Cameroon government in investigating what had caused the eruptions. However, the events that had occurred resembled those from the nearby Lake Monoun incident which took place on August 15th, 1984, resulting in the death of 37 people. These lakes formed following volcanic episodes in which plums of magma, rising from the … In 1984, a minor political coup by the Republican Guard was attempted aiming to return Ahidjo into office. Lake Nyos was formed in a volcanic crater created as recently as 400 years ago. In an instant, 1746 residents of the nearby villages of Nyos and Cha were killed. Beneath the lake is a pocket of magma which causes the carbon dioxide to mix with water and change it to carbonic acid. Further researchers continued to monitor the lake, and eventually 40% of the survivors were relocated back to the area. A few folks disagree on the details, but the main event was the sudden release of a large cloud of carbon dioxide gas from the lake. However, others suspect that there must have been some volcanic eruption on the lake’s bed. They ended up proposing a degassing network to control the emissions of carbon dioxide from the bottom of the crater lake. Avogadro's law- is an experimental gas law relation In the end, perhaps the Lake Nyos tragedy foretold of hardships to come for Cameroon. This lowering of layers can be seen more clearly in Figure 2, which compares the pre-degassing profiles with those from measurements made in January 2006. What happened at Lake Nyos on the night of the 21st of August 1986 The CO2 limnic eruption theory. The thick fog pushed out the breathable air and suffocated all who existed within its 25-kilometer (15.53 mi) kill zone radius. Hundreds toppled to the ground over fires, uneaten dinners, and dirt roads. He is also knowledgeable about topics on Ice Age America... Read More. About 4,000 people who fled later developed respiratory problems as a result of the gas. In an instant, 1746 residents of the nearby villages of Nyos and Cha were killed. What happened at Lake Nyos : the limnic eruption phenomenon. 4. Source: United States Geological Survey / Public domain, Bressan, David. On August 21, 1986, in northwestern Cameroon, a massive froth shot up into the sky from the waters of Lake Nyos, followed by a thick ghostly fog which covered the surrounding landscape. The other theory is that the rainfall on one of the sides of the lake may have caused the outgassing. 1988. But the question remained, why was this the case? In August of 1986 Lake Nyos in Cameroon "exploded", releasing up to 1 km of CO2 and killing about 1700 people up to 26 km (13 miles) away from the lake. To compound the problem, Lake Nyos is unusually still. Chemical, isotopic, geologic, and medical evidence support the hypotheses that (i) the bulk of gas released was carbon dioxide that had been stored in the lake's hypolimnion, (ii) the victims exposed to the gas cloud died of … A feasibility study was successfully conducted in 1995 and the first tube was installed in 2011. Or, can science unravel the clues and find a definitive answer? The water carrying the carbon dioxide went up to 300 feet in the air. Lake Nyos is one of the three lakes in the world known to be saturated with carbon dioxide (the two others being Kivu and Monoun in the DRC and Cameroon respectively). As stated before, the water is extremely saturated with carbo… The sudden, catastrophic release of gas from Lake Nyos on 21 August 1986 caused the deaths of at least 1700 people in the northwest area of Cameroon, West Africa. Another possible cause is an earthquake, but this has been ruled out as no one reported a tremor on the day of the disaster. August 21 2019. The first hypothesis was that it had erupted multiple times within an hour and thus produced intense amounts of deadly fumes. Der Nyos-See ist ein Kratersee in Kamerun (Zentralafrika). al. What Happened at Lake Nyos? Ask the students to predict what will happen as you pour the carbon dioxide gas into the plastic box near the end where the tall candle is. Though this event took the lives of 1746 people, a few eyewitnesses who lived in the high grounds near the lake, survived and shared accounts of the horrors that occurred. The other theory is that the rainfall on one of the sides of the lake may have caused the outgassing. In 1986, possibly as the result of a landslide, Lake Nyos suddenly emitted a large cloud of CO 2, which suffocated 1,746 people and 3,500 livestock in nearby towns and villages. Working in a similar fashion as the use of dynamite in avalanche prevention, or controlled burning to prevent brushfires, the design used smaller controlled emissions of carbon dioxide from the bottom of the lake to avoid future disasters. Available at: https://www.nature.com/articles/srep06151, B.B. The lake has a maximum length of 1.2 miles, a width of 0.75 miles, and covers an area of approximately 390 acres. Using only simple materials such as a candle, a plastic cup, vinegar, and baking soda, students can observe first hand the nature of carbon dioxide gas and its … Alignment of the Pyramids of Chichen Itza, What's your favourite Fairy Tales (and their possible origins), about Reunification Monument for a Divided Cameroon, about Lost in the Mists of Time: The Ancient Sao Civilization in Central Africa, Burrowing Rabbits Discover Priceless Artifacts On Skokholm Island, Ten Things the Ancients Did Better than Us, The Gundestrup Cauldron: Largest and Most Exquisite Iron Age Silver Work in Europe, 800-Year-Old Boomerang Discovered in Australian Creek, 2,500-Year-Old Carpet is Stunning Reflection of Advanced Culture of the Pazyryk Nomads, Icelandic Sorcerers and the Books of Black Magic They Coveted. Who would imagine that the calm brown waters of Lake Nyos could hide such a terrible secret? One day in 1986, however, people began to pay close attention to these rumors after nearly 2,000 people randomly suffocated near the lake at the same time. What was the cause of this mysterious tragedy? Of the various symptoms suffered by those caught up in the Lake Nyos disaster (burns, paralysis, cough, vomiting, diarrhoea, weakness, headache, fever, etc), boils is not one of them. Between 9 p.m. to 10 p.m., the event claimed hundreds of human lives, and the death toll amongst livestock, birds, and insects numbered the thousands. Tiodjio, Rosine E. et. Whatever it was, the water got saturated with carbon dioxide. "Bacterial and Archaeal communities in Lake Nyos" in Nature Magazine, 1-10. Der See wurde durch die Nyos-Tragödie bekannt, bei der im August 1986 plötzlich große Mengen von Kohlenstoffdioxid (CO2) aus dem See austraten und etwa 1700 Bewohner der umliegenden Dörfer töteten. Further growing conflicts occurred due to the country's economic troubles, as well as growing tensions between the English-speaking and French-speaking Cameroonians. 150,000-Year-Old Pipes Baffle Scientists in China: Out of Place in Time? At first, the Cameroonian government worried about terrorism through chemical warfare, but it was soon proven natural. The wave itself damaged the local vegetation, while the suffocating fog of death descended upon the unfortunate bystanders present that evening. The lake is situated on the flank of an inactive Oku volcanic plain. Recently, two unidentified men, conducting an illegal excavation, stumbled upon an invaluable piece of history in western Turkey. The government hopes that this project will also help avoid what happened at nearby Lake Nyos. Local folklore around Lake Nyos tells of a king who hanged himself after being fooled by the leader of an enemy tribe. 1986, a tremendous explosion of CO2 from the lake Nyos, West of Cameroon, killed more than 1700 people and livestock up to 25 km away. lake is similar to what is happening in Lake Nyos, but is more pronounced because L. Monoun is smaller and the degassing pipe is having a greater relative effect. Folklore had warned of these events, but what does western science make of the incident? Did the spirit of the lake send out evil vapor demons in retaliation for disrespect of its sacred waters? A look at the events of 21st August 1986 around lake Nyos that led to the deaths of over 1700 people. “Lake Nyos, a Multirisk and Vulnerability Appraisal” in Geosciences, 8, 312. Most people along the shore experienced a nauseous smell resembling putrid eggs and gun powder, followed by shortness of breath and, finally, passing out. Within the 208-meter depths (682 ft) of Lake Nyos rested a porous deposit of ancient volcanic boulders and ash. According to the legend, the king’s body formed a lake that later exploded, killing many members of the rival tribe. Ancient Origins © 2013 - 2021Disclaimer - Terms of Publication - Privacy Policy & Cookies - Advertising Policy - Submissions - We Give Back - Contact us. ( United States Geological Survey / Public Domain). However, eruptions in some volcanic lakes such as Lake Monoun, Lake Kivu, and Lake Nyos have led to several deaths. Lake Nyos in 1986, a month after the tragedy. What Happened During The Seveso Disaster? With such incredible diversity, certain subject matter remains consistent in their oral myths, especially when it comes to Lake Nyos. (United States Geological Survey / Public domain ). One anonymous account mentioned the emergence of a large demonic froth that shot up with intense fury, causing an acidic wave which dissolved any plant life that was in its way.

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