Oku Volcanic Field

Cameroon

SUMMARY:

Type: composite
Activity: dormant
Last Eruption: unknown
Rock Type: ?
Eruptive Volume: ? cu km
Location Map from Xerox PARC
Latitude: 6.44 N
Longitude: 10.3 E

GEOLOGIC HISTORY

Numerous maars and basaltic cinder cones lie on or near the deeply dissected Mount Oku massif along the Cameroon volcani line. Two crater lakes, Lake Nyos to the north and Lake Monoun to the south have produced catastrophic gas releases events.

Historic Activity: Unknown

Recent Activity:

  • The August 15, 1984 gas release at Lake Monoun killed 37 people and was attributed to overturn of stratified lake water, triggered by an earthquake and landslide.
  • The August 21, 1986 gas release at Lake Nyos killed at least 1,700 people and was attributed to overturn of stratified lake waters as a result of a non-volcanic process, or to phreatic explosions or injection of hot gas into the lake.

Data Sources

  • Smithsonian's SEAN Bulletin (V. 9, No. 8 to V. 12, No. 1)
  • Global Volcanism Network (V. 15, No. 11 and V. 23, No. 12).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Link to Global Volcanism Network's Oku Volcanic Field Information

Last Update: 2/12/00