Volcano Live
volcanolive.com
Oku Volcano - John Seach
Cameroon
6.44 N, 10.3 E
summit elevation 1080 m
Volcanic field
Oku Volcanic field is located in NW Cameroon. The region is part of the Cameroon line of volcanoes which runs from Annobon Island in the Atlantic Ocean to Oku in NW Cameroon. North of Oku the line splits north to the Biu Plateau in Nigeria, and eastwards to Ngaoundere plateau in eastern Cameroon.
Lake Nyos
In 1986 a gas cloud released from Lake Nyos killed 1700 people from Kam-Nyos, Subum, Cha, and other villages. The eruption was preceded on the same day by smoke or gas emission and a weak explosion. Between 9-10 pm on 21st August 1986 the main eruption of gas was accompanied by a tsunami with a wave height of about 20m. The release of carbon dioxide from the lake was caused by a phreatic explosion which mobilised accumulated gas at the bottom of the lake.
Lake Monoun
Lake Monoun is located in 10 km north of Foumbot, in the western highlands of Cameroon. The area is part of the Foumbot volcanic field, which consists of 34 craters, many of which contain lakes. In August 1984 a gas eruption from Lake Monoum killed 37 people. There are no local legends about eruptions at Lake Monoun, but the youthful volcanic topography indicated eruption within the past few hundred years.
Oku Volcano Eruptions
1986, 1550 ± 100