The Science Behind the Disaster: Limnic Eruptions Explained
SIMON MAINA/AFP via Getty Images
SIMON MAINA/AFP via Getty Images
A limnic eruption, like the one at Lake Nyos, occurs when dissolved gases suddenly escape from a lake, often triggered by geological activity. In the case of Lake Nyos, carbon dioxide had accumulated over time due to volcanic processes.
When pressure changes allowed it to rapidly rise and escape, the result was a deadly gas cloud. This phenomenon remains rare, with only two other known instances — at Lake Monoun in Cameroon and Lake Kivu in Africa.