Goma residents return despite risk

GOMA, Congo (CNN) -- More residents returned to the eastern Congolese of Goma on Monday, stepping over hot lava to reach their homes, some of which were destroyed after a volcano erupted last week.

Just across the border in Gisenyi, Rwanda, the Red Cross set up a centre for children who were separated from their families when they fled Goma after Thursday night's volcanic eruption.

Aid workers were disconcerted that residents were trying to return home so soon, because of lingering dangers from the volcano and hot lava. The United Nations said lava covered half of the town.

Meanwhile, an explosion at a station where fuel was being stored killed several people and injured two women and two children, CNN's Catherine Bond reported.

VIDEO Thousands are making the dangerous journey home, says CNN's Catherine Bond (January 20) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)   YOUR SAY Your say: E-mail us your experiences    MORE STORIES • Desperation in Goma  • Mobile phones slow volcano relief  • Congo crisis: How to help    EXTRA INFORMATION Interactive: Anatomy of a volcano  • Gallery: Residents of Goma flee volcano  • Map: Goma lies in area prone to volcanic activity

The blast occurred while people were trying to siphon petrol from drums, and sent thick plumes of dark smoke above the city.

Goma remained without electricity, and some residents were drawing water from Lake Kivu, which aid workers said had been tainted by molten rock and volcanic ash.

Relief agencies were rushing to set up fresh-water tanks to provide potable water. There is no food for many families, and people are sleeping outside. Residents were sorting through building debris trying to salvage possessions.

Many of Goma's residents fled to neighbouring Rwanda when Mount Nyiragongo erupted, but decided to come home after they said Rwandans were inhospitable. Some Goma residents said Rwandans refused to give them even a glass of water without asking for money.

"They wanted us to die. When we saw the sky clearing, we said we may as well go and die at home," one resident said Sunday.

Aid workers had described the difficulty in distributing aid supplies to the displaced residents, who were scattered along roads straddling the Rwandan-Congolese border and in nearby hills. One worker with World Vision estimated the number of refugees at 500,000.

The US State Department Monday issued a travel advisory for Rwanda, urging American citizens to avoid travel to cities surrounding the border with Congo and called the Lake Kivu area "potentially unsafe" due to possible fuel emissions and follow-on volcanic eruptions.

"Residents in the area face potential health and safety problems due to volcanic debris deposits and the lack of potable water, food and shelter, the statement said.

Red Cross workers estimated the death toll from the volcano at 47, but said that number could rise.

-- CNN's Catherine Bond contributed to this report