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Scientists to probe volcanic Lake Ngozi in Rungwe District
2007-10-23 09:48:26
By Thobias Mwanakatwe, PST, Rungwe
Twelve scientists from France, Belgium, the United Kingdom and Tanzania have embarked on a scientific analysis of Lake Ngozi in Mbeye One village, Rungwe District, in Mbeya Region which recently erupted into volcanic explosion.
Talking to the press, the leader of the team from Marseilles Institute in France, Dr David Williamson, said analysis would be made by taking a sample of the ash from under the lake.
He said the aim of the exercise was to detect the atmospheric changes which emanated from the volcanic explosion and the way to check it.
``After learning of the prevailing atmospheric changes then we would be a better position to take the necessary precautions against factors which caused the eruption so that it does not emerge in other places and cause disaster to society,`` he said adding that the analysis would also enable them know the lake’s entire time of existence and identify when the first volcanic eruption took place and the entire chain of atmospheric changes.
Another expert, Brown Gwambene, from the IRA Department at the University of Dar es Salaam, said the analysis, which would include taking a sample of soil from the lake`s bed, was aimed at acquiring long-time scientific evidence on atmospheric changes and that the exercise would include analysis of tree samples taken from the lake`s bed which, however, did not have features evolving long-time records.
He said the team decided to carry out the exercise in Ngozi lake as Rungwe District had more than 10 volcanic lakes all located in a row down to Lake Nyasa, hence material clues could be obtained from the area.
``The water in the said lakes is less polluted compared to other big lakes which are infested with various garbage, making it difficult to determine correct records of their initial existence.
Also, an official from the French embassy, who are sponsoring the exercise, Dr.Raymond Lataste, said the move would highly benefit residents of Rungwe District and Mbeya Region as a whole in respect of environmental conservation and visitors to the area would have an avid interest in knowing and viewing the lake whose source was caused by volcanic eruption.
He said the results of the exercise would enable the people acquaint themselves with atmospheric changes and take the necessary precautions in case of such eruptions, and that the said lakes would serve as tourists attractions in the country.
The chairman of Mbeye One village, Watson Mwakalinga, said about 15 tourists have been visiting the lake weekly.
Lake Ngozi, which is a result of volcanic eruption more than 40,000 years ago, occupies an area of 3.75 square kilometres while its water has been undergoing changes in colour, depending on the prevailing atmospheric condition of the day.
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