**East African military forces are being prepared to contain the situation
Mount Kilimanjaro is likely to explode in volcanic outburst next November. Soldiers serving with military forces of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi are warming up to combat the disaster.
Kilimanjaro which is Africa’s highest peak and the world’s second highest mountain has never exploded before. The predicted eruption that may occur in six-months from now, is set to affect millions of people living around the gigantic feature. It will be a historical happening … and major disaster!
Lives and properties will be lost due to explosion, experts have warned that areas such as Marangu, Machame, Himo and Moshi on the other hand will possibly disappear for good.
Mt. Kilimanjaro is the highest point on African continent reaching 5,895 meters (19,340 feet) above sea level, tall enough to maintain a permanent snow cap despite being just 330 kilometers (210 miles) south of the equator.
It is also the tallest free-standing mountain on the Earth’s land surface, rising about 4,600 meters (15,000 feet) above the surrounding plain. Kilimanjaro is a triple volcano (has three peaks) that geologists believe could have erupted perhaps more than 100,000 years ago. The peaks however had been exuding volcanic gases for years.
Now come November 2009 and the mighty Kilimanjaro is expected to explode in thunderous torrents spew out boiling rivers of molten rocks, thick gases, volcanic ash and solid rocks all around the vicinity at a radius of over 200 kilometers.
Massive rivers tumultuous outpouring of red hot lava gushing down its slopes burning practically everything in the area including forests, plants and thousands of households. The fear is the explosion may annihilate local townships such as Marangu, Himo, Njia-panda, Mkuu-Rombo and even Moshi Municipality itself.
Other towns on the Kenyan’ side of the border may also be in danger: Illassit, Oloitokitok, Entarara, Rombo and Kimana areas could end up buried under tons of magma-turned lava.
The predicted Kilimanjaro eruption is just a fictional setting, an orchestrated drama to be part of the five-state army Military drill to mark the 10th anniversary of the revived East African Community.
A joint military rescue operations made up of armies from Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya and Host Tanzania will be expected to evacuate people living around Mt. Kilimanjaro as disaster strikes.
Just as well, because in reality it may take five military forces to accomplish the feat the mostly remote thick-forested area is inhabited by millions and the roads are not exactly at their best.
Arusha will be the base from which the army teams are to operate from. Arusha apparently will also be the host of the East African Community’s 10th Anniversary ceremonies set to be the biggest events this year.
Dr. John Eudes Ruhangisa, a senior official with the Arusha based EAC secretariat said the event would be marked here on the 20th of November instead of the official date of November 30 because at that time the EA presidents will be attending the Commonwealth Head of States meeting in the Caribbean Islands.
-ARUSHA TIMES
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