What Exactly Happened at Lake Nyos?
ANDRE YOUBISI/AFP via Getty Images
ANDRE YOUBISI/AFP via Getty Images
The disaster unfolded when a limnic eruption caused a massive release of carbon dioxide from the lake’s depths. This gas cloud rolled down the hillsides, suffocating everything in its path.
The rapid and invisible nature of carbon dioxide made it particularly deadly, as it displaced the breathable air and left victims with little chance of escape. The event was unprecedented, prompting urgent scientific investigation.