Lake overturn is a rare type of natural disaster in which carbon dioxide (CO2) suddenly erupts from deep lake water, suffocating wildlife, livestock and humans. Such an eruption may also cause tsunamis in the lake as the rising CO2 displaces water. Scientists believe landslides, volcanic activity, or explosions can trigger such an eruption. Lakes in which such activity occurs may be known as exploding lakes.
A tragic phenomenon occurred in Cameroon in the mid 1980s. The first event happened in 1984, when 37 people near Lake Monoun, lost their lives suddenly. The second event, however, was much more tragic. In August 1986, Lake Nyos released a cloud of carbon dioxide (CO2) which hugged the ground and flowed down surrounding valleys to suffocate thousands of local villagers and animals. Overall, more than 1,700 people lost their lives even being 26 km away from the lake. A third lake, Lake Kivu, on the Congo-Rwanda border in Central Africa, is also known to act as a reservoir of carbon dioxide and methane. These three lakes contain very high concentrations of CO2 in their depths and can be dangerous for thousands of people who live around it. If Lake Kivu will explode, over two million peoplewho live around it would be in danger.
