The people with disabilities in Goma city; Their experience and coping mechanisms during the eruptions of Nyiragongo volcano

Population growth, especially that of persons with disabilities, PWD increases human vulnerability to the risks of the Nyiragongo volcano. The experience of PWD in the face of eruptions already lived could provide necessary guidance for disaster prevention. Through a survey coupled with a purposive and snowballing techniques, the data collected were subject to descriptive and inferential analysis. The results revealed that the majority of our respondents, 46.2% are young people who only experienced the 2021 eruption. Among those who experienced the 2021 eruption, that of 2002 and the one of 1977, i.e. 11.9%, no one of them is under 50 years old. During the volcanic crisis, most of our respondents, i.e. 68.7%, went through hardships, were left without support and felt abandoned in despair even by those around them. As a survival mechanism, 35.8% of our respondents said they had no choice but to wait for the alert like everyone else, while 31.3% of our respondents immersed themselves in prayer. Through the test of independence, a significant relationship had been observed between experience with eruptions and the survival mechanism. The more experienced, the respondent, the less likely it is to manage the crisis through inappropriate mechanisms. The authors recommend strengthening communication on volcanic risks including PWD in schools, universities and workplaces, as well as creating safer evacuation sites in the city and means of transportation for people with disabilities.