D. Birimwiragi Namogo¹

¹Goma Volcano Observatory, Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Abstract:

Lake Kivu is a collapse ditch lake immediately located in the western branch of the East African Rift. In the Lake Kivu basin region the seismic activity of the Rift and the volcanic activity constitute the most serious geological risks facing the population. Until 2015, there was no seismic sensor installed in the region to monitor the Lake Kivu basin. In 2016, three seismic stations were deployed under a Belgian project to monitor the seismic activity of Lake Kivu. However, up to eighteen earthquakes with magnitude between 4.0 and 6.0, all located on the shores of Lake Kivu and which have caused enormous damages to the infrastructures, towns and villages surrounding this lake, were identified in this last decade. The problem is due to lack of seismic observation stations, the location of earthquakes and many other seismic analyses are made with many errors, which makes it difficult to define the highly dangerous areas. There is therefore a need for a reliable seismic network to help understand what is taking place in this area and to define seismic risks with some precision.