The Lake Nyos Incident
Summary
TLDRIn 1984 and 1986, Cameroon's Lake Monoun and Lake Nyos experienced limnic eruptions, releasing lethal carbon dioxide fogs that killed over 1,700 people and thousands of livestock. The disasters, initially shrouded in mystery, were later attributed to volcanic activity beneath the lakes causing massive CO2 buildups. Scientists now monitor these lakes to prevent future catastrophes, but the threat remains at Lake Kivu, with its large population and potential for an even more devastating eruption.
Takeaways
- 🌐 The script discusses two mysterious disasters that occurred at Lake Monoun and Lake Nios in Cameroon, Africa.
- 🚛 On August 15, 1984, a truck near Lake Monoun broke down due to engine failure, followed by the death of all passengers due to an unknown fog.
- 🐂 Livestock and insects also perished, and 37 people died in the incident, which was initially covered up by authorities.
- 🔍 Scientists were initially baffled by the cause of death, which was later determined to be asphyxiation due to a heavy, toxic fog.
- 🌋 The script suggests that volcanic activity might have been the cause, but further investigation ruled out an active volcanic eruption.
- 🎙️ The script is sponsored by Dashlane, a password manager service that provides secure storage for personal information and passwords.
- 🗓️ On August 21, 1986, a similar disaster occurred at Lake Nios, with a loud noise and a dense fog that led to the death of around 1,800 people.
- 🏞️ Both lakes are situated on a volcanic field, and the disasters were later attributed to a buildup of carbon dioxide (CO2) gas, causing a limnic eruption.
- ⚠️ The script highlights the ongoing risk of a limnic eruption at Lake Kivu, which is much larger and has a higher population in its vicinity.
- 🔥 Lake Kivu contains high levels of methane, which, if released during a limnic eruption, could lead to a toxic fog and potentially cause widespread fires.
Q & A
What is the significance of the date August 15th, 1984, in the script?
-August 15th, 1984, is significant because it marks the night when a mysterious disaster occurred at Lake Monoun in Cameroon, Africa, resulting in the unexplained deaths of 37 people and hundreds of livestock.
What unusual natural phenomenon was described as occurring at Lake Monoun?
-A dense fog emerged from the lake, covering the surrounding area and causing the vehicle engines to sputter and stop, followed by the collapse and death of people and animals in the vicinity.
What was the initial theory regarding the cause of the disaster at Lake Monoun?
-The initial theory was that the disaster was caused by volcanic activity, possibly due to an eruption releasing toxic fumes into the air.
Why was the event at Lake Monoun almost immediately covered up?
-The event was covered up because Cameroon authorities had no explanation for the sudden loss of life and wanted to erase it from history to prevent panic and further incidents.
What was the role of Dashlane in the script?
-Dashlane was the sponsor of the video, providing a service for password management, secure storage of personal information, and a VPN for online safety.
What was the second similar disaster that occurred two years after Lake Monoun?
-The second disaster occurred at Lake Nios on August 21, 1986, where a loud noise was heard, followed by a dense fog that caused the deaths of up to 1,800 people and thousands of livestock.
What was the medical cause of death for the victims of both Lake Monoun and Lake Nios disasters?
-The official cause of death for all victims was asphyxiation, as they were unable to breathe due to the unbreathable gas that replaced the oxygen in the air.
What was the scientific explanation for the disasters at both lakes?
-The scientific explanation was that the disasters were caused by limnic eruptions, where large amounts of carbon dioxide built up at the bottom of the lakes were suddenly released, creating a toxic fog.
What measures have been taken to prevent future limnic eruptions at Lake Monoun and Lake Nios?
-Scientists have installed pipes in the water of both lakes to allow the release of carbon dioxide, preventing the buildup of gas and reducing the risk of future eruptions.
Why is Lake Kivu considered a potential threat despite the measures taken at Lake Monoun and Lake Nios?
-Lake Kivu is considered a potential threat because it is much larger and the degassing pipes installed have not been as effective. Additionally, it contains high levels of methane, which could cause fires in the event of an eruption.
What is the estimated frequency of limnic eruptions at Lake Kivu, and why is it a concern?
-Limnic eruptions at Lake Kivu are estimated to occur roughly once every thousand years, and the last confirmed large-scale eruption was about 5,000 years ago, indicating that the area may be due for another eruption.
Outlines
🌌 Mysterious Deaths at Lake Monoun
On August 15, 1984, a truck carrying 12 passengers near Lake Monoun in Cameroon encountered a dense fog that emerged from the lake, causing the vehicle's engine to fail. The passengers, along with local livestock and wildlife, began to collapse and die without warning. A total of 37 people and hundreds of animals perished in an inexplicable disaster. The incident was initially covered up by Cameroonian authorities, who were left baffled and without an explanation for the sudden loss of life.
🔍 The Lake Nios Tragedy and Initial Theories
Almost two years after the Lake Monoun incident, a similar disaster occurred at Lake Nios on August 21, 1986. A loud noise was heard from the lake, followed by a thick mist that covered the area, leading to the asphyxiation of 1,800 people and over 3,000 animals. Initial theories suggested volcanic activity or terrorism as potential causes, but further investigation revealed no volcanic activity and the remote location made the terrorism theory less plausible.
🏞️ The Discovery of Limnic Eruptions
Scientists investigating the two incidents noted that both lakes were situated on the same volcanic field, which was producing large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2). It was discovered that CO2 had been accumulating at the bottom of the lakes for centuries. On the nights of the disasters, geological shifts caused the sudden release of this gas, which formed a dense, unbreathable fog that killed all life in its path. This phenomenon came to be known as a limnic eruption.
🔄 Preventive Measures and the Threat of Lake Kivu
Following the discovery of limnic eruptions, measures were taken to install pipes in Lake Monoun and Lake Nios to release CO2 safely. However, Lake Kivu, another lake on the same volcanic field, poses a much greater threat due to its size and population density. Despite attempts to install degassing pipes, the effectiveness has been limited, and the potential for a catastrophic limnic eruption remains. The last major eruption at Lake Kivu was approximately 5,000 years ago, indicating that another event could be imminent.
⏳ The Looming Threat of Lake Kivu
The video concludes with a discussion of the looming threat of a limnic eruption at Lake Kivu, which could be far more devastating than previous events due to the presence of high levels of methane. The methane could ignite, leading to a toxic fog and fire that could cover vast areas. The risk is so severe that some residents have fled the area, while others remain unaware of the potential danger. The video emphasizes the uncertainty and the need for continued monitoring and research to prevent such a disaster.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Dashlane
💡Lake Monoun
💡Asphyxiation
💡Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
💡Limnic Eruption
💡Lake Nios
💡Volcanic Field
💡Methane
💡Degassing
💡Toxic Fog
Highlights
Sponsored by Dashlane, a password manager and digital wallet.
On August 15, 1984, a mysterious fog caused the death of 37 people and livestock near Lake Monoun, Cameroon.
The fog was accompanied by a loud noise and had a heavy stench, causing asphyxiation.
The incident at Lake Monoun was covered up by Cameroonian authorities.
Two years later, a similar disaster occurred at Lake Nios, killing up to 1,800 people.
Survivors reported a loud rumble and a dense fog that caused immediate collapse and death.
The cause of death was asphyxiation due to a heavy concentration of carbon dioxide.
The disasters were linked to volcanic activity beneath the lakes, causing a buildup of CO2.
Scientists identified the phenomenon as a 'limnic eruption', a natural disaster caused by the sudden release of CO2 from deep lake waters.
Following the discoveries, measures were taken to install degassing pipes in Lake Monoun and Lake Nios to prevent future eruptions.
Lake Kivu, another lake on the same volcanic field, poses a significant risk due to its size and the ineffectiveness of current degassing efforts.
The potential for a limnic eruption at Lake Kivu is considered a serious threat, with experts predicting it could be catastrophic.
The methane levels in Lake Kivu could lead to a toxic fog and fire, endangering the 2 million inhabitants in the vicinity.
The last large-scale limnic eruption at Lake Kivu was estimated to have occurred 5,000 years ago, indicating it is overdue.
The video concludes with a call to awareness about the potential for a devastating limnic eruption at Lake Kivu and the need for further action.
Transcripts
the following video is sponsored by
dashlane
[Music]
keep driving slow down use your
headlights and leave plenty of systems
ahead of you
august 15th 1984
night falls on lake minao a serene quiet
body of water in cameroon africa along
its shores lies a sleepy road where that
night a truck crammed with 12 passengers
would follow its twists and turns
as the vehicle passed through a dark
wooded area a dense fog began to emerge
from the lake rolling along the ground
and covering the surrounding area like a
blanket
it engulfed the road in an instant but
as far as the driver was concerned a
foggy night by the water was nothing too
out of the ordinary as he continued in
route to their final destination
a destination that would never be
reached
moments following the emergence of this
heavy fog the engine within the vehicle
began to sputter before shutting down
completely and slowing the crippled
vehicle to a stop the driver twists the
ignition over and over again but nothing
the engine was completely unresponsive
sitting on the roof of the parked truck
were two of the 12 passengers who
watched as one by one those inside of
the vehicle crawled out to investigate
the breakdown they watched as the group
of ten walked towards the truck's hood
and they watched as one by one they
began to collapse falling to the ground
without a single word
in just a moment's time the entire group
of ten had perished
as the passengers on the roof looked on
in horror they began to witness the
cattle and other livestock shriek in
agony before falling to the ground as
well even the bugs dropped from the sky
as on a night where you would typically
hear the sound of a million insects it
instead grew deathly silent
that day 37 people in total would lose
their lives with hundreds of livestock
suffering the same mysterious fate
it was a disaster that happened in an
instant but to most of the outside world
it didn't happen at all
left baffled cameroon authorities had no
explanation to this sudden loss of life
leading to the event almost immediately
being covered up and blacked out from
the rest of the world and honestly it
may have remained that way forever had
it not been for another event that
transpired in an identical manner with
this incident proving to be one of the
most shocking in human
history before we dive into this story i
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scientists were at a loss following the
disaster at lake minown as firsthand
reports were few and far between given
that hardly anyone in the area had
survived from what they could gather
residents reported hearing a loud noise
at some point during the night the noise
had come from the direction of the lake
and sounded almost like an explosion
which seemed consistent with the
appearance of the vegetation surrounding
the water as trees grass and bushes were
left completely flattened almost as if
it had been crushed by the force of an
explosion
following the strange noises fog began
to quickly cover the entire area which
was of particular interest as survivors
reported that it appeared different than
your typical mist it had a heavy stench
and even slightly burned the skin of
those who stood in its way
and as soon as the fog rolled in both
humans and animals alike began
collapsing and eventually passing away
with the official cause of death for all
of the victims being asphyxiation
the fog also seemed to move in an
unnatural way as it rolled along the
ground never straying more than a few
feet above the surface meaning that when
the two passengers were seated on top of
the truck they never actually came into
physical contact with the mist because
it never rose that high
and given that they had survived
unscathed well it seemed apparent that
the mist itself was likely what had
caused the deaths
but determining how or why a mist could
have killed everything in the
surrounding area
well that was another question entirely
looking at all the evidence it was
initially theorized that this event was
spurred on by volcanic activity as there
was an active volcano field beneath the
lake itself which upon eruption may have
released a cloud of toxic fumes into the
air
though upon further testing it was
determined that the volcano was inactive
at the time and no evidence of an
eruption was present
this left researchers at a complete loss
if this was not some kind of natural
occurrence then it seemed highly likely
that it was instead man-made and
potentially a case of terrorism
as given the sound of an explosion and
toxins in the air it was possible that a
chemical weapon was used on the region
but this theory was a hard sell too as
the region was so remote and obscure
that one would wonder why anyone would
target it let alone target it with
chemical weapons
given this scientists couldn't settle on
a definite conclusion and with the team
at a crossroads authorities would
conclude their investigation and instead
focus their efforts on keeping the
incident under wraps erasing it from
history in the hopes that nothing like
it would ever happen again
but unfortunately almost exactly two
years later
the fog would emerge once more
[Music]
it happened about a hundred kilometers
away from a noun on a body of water
called lake nios
night had fallen on the evening of
august 21 1986 when a loud noise was
heard coming from the water
quickly the lake began to bubble almost
as if it had turned to a boil those
bubbles then began to pop leading to a
thick mist emerging from the lake and
almost instantly covering the area in a
dense fog
dramatic as the event seemed virtually
no one was aware of what was happening
as the vast majority of nearby villagers
were fast asleep completely unaware of
the danger that they were in
by the edge of the lake a lady named
halima sully was living with four of her
daughters and following the sound of the
loud rumble halima would be awakened in
a state of confusion the sound was
startling but it would prove to be far
from the most frightening thing that she
would hear that night as immediately
after being jarred from her sleep she
began to hear a collage of voices
echoing from the village around her
it took a moment to decipher what
exactly it was until eventually it hit
her
those sounds were the wailing and the
moaning of people emanating from all
directions
it was the sound of suffering
as she stood in horror she would
suddenly go completely limp falling to
the floor of her home before passing out
meanwhile in a house high atop a cliff
overlooking the region a man named frame
chi would watch the mist roll in and
absorb the houses beneath him in the
village below was essentially his entire
family although he didn't think much of
the smoke-like mist as much like lake
manoun fog by the water was fairly
typical
that night she was feeling particularly
ill and after watching the mist for a
while he decided to go get some sleep
when he awoke the next morning he was
completely unaware that his life had
just been changed forever
as chi started his day by heading down
towards the lake he noticed a peculiar
silence in the air everything around him
was perfectly calm perfectly still
until he heard a voice
the voice of halima sully she could hear
her shouting in the distance come here
why are these people lying here why
won't they move again
he couldn't bear the sight it was far
too horrific is on the ground in front
of halima
lay all four of her children
none of whom were alive
and they weren't the only ones it's all
around them bodies littered the ground
of the village
as selima searched the area for
survivors she would discover 31 other
members of her family dead within their
nearby homes
in the fields around them also laid the
family's cattle of which they had worked
years to obtain yet in a matter of one
night all 400 of them had passed as well
that night halima had quite literally
lost everything and all that remained of
her family
was her
and she wasn't the only one one man
living in the nearby village of sabaam
had also heard the loud rumble that
night his name was joseph mcquain and
after he too was awakened by the blast
he emerged from his bed to check on his
daughter within his home was a cloud of
mist and through strained eyes he headed
towards her room though he didn't make
it far he described his account by
saying i could not speak i became
unconscious i could not open my mouth
because then i smelled something
terrible i heard my daughter snoring in
a terrible way very abnormal when
crossing to my daughter's bed i
collapsed and fell i was there till nine
o'clock in the morning i was surprised
to see that my trousers were red and had
stains like honey i opened the door i
wanted to speak my breath would not come
out my daughter was already dead
facing the reality of his deceased
daughter joseph would try and compose
himself as he left his home in search of
help though outside was an even
grizzlier sight in virtually all the
homes that surrounded him were the
deceased bodies of his neighbors some of
whom were sprawled across the ground of
the village while others he could see
through the windows of their homes
looking as if they had passed away in
their sleep on their skin and joseph's
as well were wounds comparable to
chemical burns
surrounding joseph was nothing but death
as overnight practically the entire
village had been wiped out
except for him and worst of all he had
no idea how or why in fact nobody did
but perhaps joseph's strangest encounter
came from the lake itself as he looked
out to the water he would notice that
the lake's signature shade of brown was
no more and instead that morning the
water ran red
for medical personnel the site was
shocking and the villages that the mist
reached survivors like joseph chi and
halima were few and far between with
those who did remain being left
incredibly ill with sores across their
bodies some had even become paralyzed
losing their ability to move for days
and weeks
at menoun the medical professionals had
found 37 individuals deceased along the
water which accounted for about half of
the lake's inhabitants
but things at nios were instantly much
different as the population was far more
dense rather than medics finding a few
dozen bodies the next day
they instead found hundreds
when it was all said and done as many as
eighteen hundred people lost their lives
that night with an exact number being
unknown as there were simply too many
bodies to count as they moved to quickly
bury the dead in a mass grave
along with this over three thousand
domesticated animals and livestock were
killed as well with the cause of death
for both humans and animals being
asphyxiation
and no immediate explanation as to
why in the days following the sudden
unexplained disaster surviving villagers
began speculating that what had happened
was some type of punishment passed down
from an unruly spirit referring to the
fog as some type of supernatural killer
mist but opinions across the region
varied with some calling into question
whether the government had been doing
some type of experimentation in the area
potentially testing weapons or chemicals
before something went very wrong with
this theory in particular remaining a
big talking point for a while as the two
lakes affected were so close so obscure
and both located in cameroon it might
also explain why authorities had moved
to cover up the lake menoun incident but
as for the authorities themselves they
were concerned that this was yet another
act of terrorism as it was almost as if
a bomb had been dropped over top of the
lake after all the sound of an explosion
was undisputed causing many to believe
that the region was under attack
which in a way was somewhat true only
this attack wasn't from some outside
force
and instead
it was from nature itself
as scientists studied the two lakes at
the center of these disasters they would
quickly note that both bodies of water
were located on top of the same volcanic
field this volcanic field had been
producing a large amount of magma which
in turn created carbon dioxide or co2 at
an alarming rate this was noteworthy as
a huge amount of co2 had been detected
in the water of both lakes following
these disasters which led to the
realization that over many years that
co2 had been building up at the very
bottom of these deep deep lakes and
given the region's consistent
temperatures that co2 had essentially
stayed put growing and growing each day
without any sort of release from the
depths of these waters
well that would be until the nights of
august 15th 1984 and august 21st 1986
when the earth had shifted leading to
the sudden exodus of centuries worth of
gas buildup
it's unknown for sure what had caused
both disturbances with some theorizing
that it could have been something as
minor as a small rock slide nearby or
even a cold bout of rain
but whatever its cause ultimately that
carbon dioxide would be released and
shoot up out of the water in an instant
soaring over 300 feet in the air
the blast was so severe that it even
created a tsunami within the lake with
scientists estimating the wave to be
over 60 feet tall before crashing into
the shore flattening all vegetation in
the immediate area and dying out before
it reached any villages
though it wouldn't be the wave that
proved to be so deadly as instead it was
the mist it brought up with it as that
fog was made up of almost entirely
carbon dioxide as well as other
chemicals brought up from the bottom of
the lake
co2 is unbreathable and far denser than
regular air so as it emerged from both
lakes it stayed very low to the ground
and essentially replaced all the oxygen
in the area with an unbreathable gas and
the more those villagers tried to
breathe it in the faster it made them
suffocate
this is why the truck's engine had
stopped at the very beginning as there
was no oxygen to circulate within the
engine rendering combustion within it
impossible and this also explains how
the majority of survivors lived in
higher elevations just high enough to
avoid the low-lying gas
this theory also accounted for the
wounds found on the bodies as they were
likely caused by co2 poisoning and the
lake's red color the following day well
that change was a direct result of the
high level of co2 in the water
the event sounds so supernatural so
unbelievable but this theory explained
everything and would eventually be
universally agreed upon as the cause for
both disasters
and ultimately it would lead to the
founding of a new type of natural
disaster which would come to be known as
a limnic eruption
with this discovery scientists have now
been able to install pipes in the water
that allow these lakes to release their
co2 without any large explosions making
manaon and nios seemingly safe from
another limnic eruption at least for now
and fortunately eruptions like this
require a confluence of incredibly
precise geological conditions with
scientists only confirming three lakes
across the entire world that are capable
of experiencing such a disaster which
means that not only are lake menoun and
lake nios now safe from these eruptions
but the world as a whole is as well
well
not exactly
the problem arises with that third lake
lake kivu a location where unlike nios
and manon there's yet to be any real
progress in degassing it they've added
pipes like the others but they haven't
been nearly as effective for one simple
reason
size
lake minnown and lake nios are small
lakes with lake nios being only about a
mile long each way but lake kivu is much
much bigger and to be exact in
comparison to lake nios kivu is 2 000
times larger and has roughly 2 million
inhabitants living on or around its
shores
all of whom could find themselves in the
midst of a toxic fog should one of these
eruptions occur and as of now it seems
like only a matter of time
scientists have discovered that limnic
eruptions have been happening at lake
kivu for a long time and they seem to
happen roughly once every thousand years
meaning that it could happen at any
moment
especially considering that the last
confirmed large-scale eruption seems to
have been roughly 5 000 years ago
meaning that the people living around
lake kivu may be living on borrowed time
with experts predicting that the event
could be even worse than you'd expect
because deep within the lake lies a high
level of methane which given its
flammability wouldn't just lead to a
toxic fog covering the area but it would
lead to fire covering it as well
giving it the possibility of setting
miles and miles of land on fire in an
instant
the risk is so serious that some have
fled the area over fears of an eruption
while others go about their daily lives
with no clue of the danger that
surrounds them as all it would take is
one earthquake or an eruption of a
nearby volcano or even something as
minor as a cold bout of rain to trigger
what could easily become the most
devastating natural disaster of all time
and with this possibility lurking at any
moment
all we can really do at this point
is wait
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