Congo’s Mount Nyiragongo unleashed lava that destroyed homes on the outskirts of Goma, but witnesses said Sunday that the city of 2 million had been mostly spared after the volcano erupted at night and sent thousands fleeing in panic.

Residents said there was little warning before the dark sky turned a fiery red, leading to fears that the eruption could cause the same kind of devastation as the last time in 2002 when hundreds died.

There was no official word on how many may have been killed amid the scramble to flee the city late Saturday.

Abdullahi Hassan reports.