Rare Gas Disaster Killed 1,700 People in Their Sleep

A rare disaster once struck the inhabitants around Lake Nyos, located in the northwest region of Cameroon on the west coast of Africa. The lake released a gas that killed more than a thousand people. According to a final report by a team of American scientists, this rare disaster occurred on the night of 21 August 1986. Suddenly, the lake released a massive cloud of gas that engulfed the surrounding area. The disaster caused the deaths of at least 1,700 people and 3,000 livestock in northwestern Cameroon. The victims were found to have died quickly, many whilst sleeping in their beds or carrying out evening activities. Initially, there was speculation about a volcanic eruption. However, research showed a different reality. There was no evidence of direct volcanic activity such as lava or an increase in water temperature; the lake water remained cold. Upon investigation, the deaths were caused by gas. The gas was carbon dioxide (CO2) originating from a magmatic source deep within the earth. The gas had seeped slowly and accumulated at the bottom of the stratified lake over hundreds of years. This gas is denser than air. It flowed down from the lake into the settlement valleys, displacing oxygen and causing the victims to die from asphyxiation. Many survivors experienced skin lesions. Initially, these were thought to be chemical or heat burns. However, medical teams concluded they were pressure sores caused by the victims losing consciousness and remaining motionless in the same position for 6 to 36 hours. Although many survivors reported a smell of rotten eggs or gunpowder, typically associated with sulphur gases, analysis indicated this was an olfactory hallucination triggered by CO2 exposure. This disaster is recorded as a terrifyingly rare event, where a sudden release of gas killed people who were sound asleep.