Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - Oldonyo Lengai erupts!

Due to the recent tremors Oldonyo Lengai has erupted!

See this message to all tour operators:
"Thousands of villagers living around Mount Oldonyo Lengai in Ngorongoro
District have fled their homes following a volcano eruption triggered by
the earth tremors that have recently hit most parts of the northern zone.

Sources say more than 1,500 people, mostly Maasai herdsmen from Ngaresero,
Orbalal and Nayobi villages, have abandoned their homes following the
tremors, whose impact has also been felt in parts of neighbouring Kenya.

Ngaresero villager Peter Parkipuny said in a telephone interview: ``We
heard roaring sounds before the volcano started discharging ashes and
lava.``

``Thank God, nobody was injured although smoke is still visible at the top
of the mountain,`` he added, noting that it was highly unlikely that those
who fled would return while smoke was still bellowing from the peak.

Two earthquakes rated as moderate hit the Oldonyo Lengai (Maasai for
`mountain of God`) volcanic mountain at 11:42pm on Sunday and at 12:10am
the next day. The first, which measured 5.4 on the Richter scale, had its
epicentre 13km east of the volcano.

The second measured 4.7 on the Richter scale and had its epicentre 20km
west of the volcano, with volcano experts saying both tremors had a shallow
focus at the depth of 10km.

Yet another tremor, this time measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale, hit about
100km (60 miles) away from this municipality on Tuesday evening. It
provoked the world?s only active volcano that spews natrocarbonatite lava.

Arusha Regional Police Commander Basilio Matei has cautioned tour operators
against taking tourists around Mount Oldonyo Lengai, citing security
reasons.

``Tour agencies should not take their visitors anywhere near or around the
mountain because one can never tell when the volcano will erupt again,`` he
stated, explaining that many tourists might be interested in witnessing the
rare natural phenomenon ``but Tanzania is their host and must take all
measures possible to guarantee their safety``.

This is the second volcanic eruption to occur in the northern zone since
the one in March 2006, which also saw a number of villagers flee their
homes for their safety.

An estimated 3,000 people fled to safe ground within hours of the eruption,
most trekking to villages in neighbouring districts.

Mount Oldonyo Lengai, standing at 3,450 meters above sea level, is the
world`s only active sodium carbonite volcano and doubles as the world`s
only volcano that emits natrocarbonatite lava.

Natrocarbonatite lava usually contains almost no silicon and is much cooler
in temperature than other lavas.

The highly fluid lava measures 510 degrees Celsius, while basaltic lava
that can be as hot as 1,100 degrees Celsius."