This is Lake Nyos. It is located in Cameroon, Africa. On August 21, 1986, the lake suddenly exploded as a result of a build up of CO2 gas that resulted from a nearby volcano leaking the substance into the lake. The eruption sent CO2 gas 16 miles killing all people by asphyxiation almost instantly. 17-1800 people died on top of their cattle. Since CO2 is denser than air, anyone who was at a higher elevation survived but I couldn't find how many survivors there were. The volcano still leaks CO2 into the lake, but a pipe has been placed in the bottom of the lake to give the gas a way to escape at a slower rate to keep the lake from exploding again. A problem that is being faced now is the weakening of the lake walls. If the walls break, then contaminated water could be spilled as far as Nigeria.
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