GEOL9 Morgan Benton

  This week we are going to be talking about Rwanda’s volcanoes and how the country minimizes their dangers. Rwanda is home to 5 volcanoes: Mount Muhabura, Mount Sabyinyo, Mount Karisimbi, Mount Bisoke and Mount Gahinga. All of these volcanoes are located inside of the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. Founded in 1925, it is the oldest national park in Africa where many tourists enjoy hiking and visiting these volcanoes.  In Rwanda, MINEMA ( Ministry in Charge of Emergency Management) has set protocols in place to help minimize risks for natural disasters throughout the country. This management agency has a published protocol that describes what to do incase of any national emergency: how to prepare for hazards, what to do in an emergency, and where to do/what to do after the fact.  Rwanda has not faced much volcanic activity of its own, but is still affected by the aftermath of volcanic activity in neighboring countries. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, there was a volcanic erupt

  Rwanda, being far from tectonic lines and ground movement, does not get a lot of earthquake action in its country. On average, Rwanda gets 12 earthquakes annually, with the strongest recorded at 5.9 magnitude (strongest in the last 10 years). In 2021, Rwanda had an outlier year with 34 earthquakes recorded that year. Rwanda’s most recent earthquake was recorded on Jan 19th, at a 4.5 magnitude. Although usually mind, Rwanda’s trend of earthquakes is rising in intensity and frequency which is why the Ministry in charge of Emergency Management (MINEMA) has a vision to, “ build a disaster resilient nation and ensure effective management of refugee affairs.” In Rwanda, the Ministry in Charge of Emergency Management (MINEMA) outlines a very clear order of direction for the country if a disastrous earthquake occurs. In this document they highlight all of the protocols for pre-earthquake preparation, protocols for during an earthquake, aftershocks, and how to respond after. They have also c

 Rwanda is located in the African Plate which includes most of the continent of Africa. Rwanda is not near its tectonic plate's boundaries, it is pretty centered on the African tectonic plate. Although Rwanda's placement within its tectonic plate seems like it wouldn't cause many issues, it is still subject to a large ray of natural disasters. Rwanda routinely faces cycles of flooding and droughts along with earthquakes. In 2023, Rwanda records having 12 earthquakes annually on average with an average magnitude of 4.1. Although these are relatively mild and routine earthquakes, it's a wonder that its tectonic palate can cause shifting and movement in a country that is nowhere near its boundaries.  https://study.com/skill/practice/analyzing-patterns-of-the-motion-of-the-earths-plates-over-time-to-predict-future-movement-questions.html https://earthquakelist.org/rwanda/ https://thinkhazard.org/en/report/205-rwanda/EQ#:~:text=In%20the%20area%20you%20have,in%20the%20next%20