世界最危險火山隨時爆發 或造成災難

Mount Nyiragongo is one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world - and scientists say it is only a matter of time before it makes the city below a modern day Pompeii.

尼拉貢戈火山是世界上最危險的火山之一，科學家表示，山腳下的城鎮重現龐培古城的悲劇只是時間的問題。

But they don't know when since, located as it is in the war-torn eastern edge of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the two mile high cauldron of lava is also one of the least well understood.

因位於戰火紛飛的剛果共和國東部地區，科學家們對於這座高大的岩漿“爐”知之甚少，所以尚且不乏預計這災難性浩劫將在何時發生。

At the base of Nyiragongo sprawls Goma, a city of an estimated one million people, numbers swelling by the day as villagers from the countryside seek refuge from rebel and government forces.

坐落於尼拉貢戈火山腳下的戈馬成人口將近100萬左右，由於衆多災民因不堪叛軍於政府軍的折磨而逃亡於此，該地的人口數量也在迅速增加。

Twice in recent years Nyiragongo's eruptions have hit the city, destroying homes and sending residents fleeing. But now, seismologists believe, the risk is not just near the city, but directly beneath it.

該火山最近兩次的噴發已經對這座城市造成打擊，衆多房屋被毀，居民流離失所。但據地震學家稱，對於戈馬城的威脅不僅來自於附近的火山，就連地下也危機四伏。

For the past 20 years the region has suffered nearly constant warfare, including a spillover from the genocide in neighbouring Rwanda.

在近20年中，這一地區一直飽受戰亂之苦，大量的逃亡人口從首都盧旺達逃難到此。

A fragile, often broken peace is maintained by 20,000 United Nations troops, one of the largest peace-keeping missions in the world.

由兩萬人的聯合國維和部隊所維護的這一地區的和平不堪一擊，這也是世界上最艱鉅的維和任務之一。

Italian seismologist Dario Tedesco has spent the last 15 years studying Nyiragongo, with funding from the European Union.

獲得歐盟資助的意大利地震學家達利奧·特德斯庫在過去15年中一直對於尼拉貢戈火山進行研究。

He has struggled to focus the scientific community's attention on volcano, and he says, there is no question it will erupt again.

他竭力的將學術界的注意力轉移到這座火山上來，並稱再次爆發是毫無疑問的。

'Goma,' he told National Geographic magazine, 'is the most dangerous city in the world.'

他對《國家地理》雜誌說，“戈馬是世界上最危險的城市。”

History suggests he may be right. In 2002 350,000 fled after the volcano shot more than 15million cubic yards of lava into downtown Goma, destroying 14,000 homes and burying buildings to the top of the first floor.

歷史也許能替他佐證，2002年的火山爆發致使1500萬立方碼的火山灰降落到了市區，1400幢房屋被毀，建築物被完全掩埋。