U.N. aid reaches volcano victims

GOMA, Congo -- Aid workers are continuing to distribute essential supplies in the city of Goma to the tens of thousands of people left homeless by last week's volcanic eruption.

The United Nations aims to hand out about 260 tonnes of food, which it says is enough to feed 70,000 people for a week.

"About 500 families have already received food today and it's continuing," U.N. spokeswoman Laura Melo told Reuters on Thursday, the second day of food distribution.

But aid workers are worried that more earth tremors could hit Goma, much of which has been buried by lava.

VIDEO CNN's Chris Burns says the Congo village of Goma is struggling back to life as lava flows still smolder in the streets Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)   VIDEO CNN's Gary Streiker says the volcanic eruption could prove catastrophic for the Congo's wildlife. 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  • Straw and Vedrine in Congo talks    EXTRA INFORMATION Interactive: Anatomy of a volcano  • Gallery: Residents return despite dangers  • Gallery: Residents of Goma flee volcano  • Map: Goma lies in area prone to volcanic activity

The eruption of Mount Nyiragongo has left an estimated 10,000 families homeless and hundreds of thousands out of work in Goma.

Experts say the flow of lava from central Africa's most destructive volcanic eruption in 25 years has halted.

But sporadic, small earthquakes continue to send shudders through the city.

"We're still worried about the shocks," Ross Mountain, a senior U.N. humanitarian adviser, said.

"I'm reluctant to say we're out of the woods as yet. We're in an area that could give us surprises."

A team of vulcanologists are due to survey the volcano to assess the risk of further quakes as the earth's crust readjusted following the January 17 eruption.

"They're trying to understand how that works, whether that could bring bigger earthquakes," Mountain said.

Meanwhile, residents are struggling to rebuild their lives in the city.

Aid workers say they have supplies to meet immediate demands but there is still an urgent need to provide shelter for thousands whose houses were destroyed by rivers of molten rock.

Relief workers have pronounced the drinking water safe for a population that has already suffered years of misery from wars and rebellions in the former Zaire and in neighbouring Rwanda.

There had been fears it had been poisoned by volcanic ash.

On Wednesday, it was revealed that up to 300 Congolese refugees who fled across the Rwandan border had fallen ill and were being treated for suspected cholera.