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Those volcanoes just can’t sit still. Look at some of the volcano events that have happened just during the year 2002.

January 2002 - In the Democratic Republic of Congo red-hot lava began pouring out of Mount Nyiragongo down through the eastern town of Goma. Up to 300,000 people were driven from their homes as molten lava swept through Goma.

February 2002 - Scientist reveal that hot volcanic mantle rock is rising underneath Africa and is trying to divide the continent. Researchers say if this happens, eventually a new ocean will be created.

July 2002 - Four volcanoes in the central Andes mountains of South America, all previously thought to be dormant, must now be considered active due to ground motions detected from space.

October 2002 - Scientists say the biggest volcano on Earth may be getting ready to erupt. They say that magma is building up beneath Hawaii’s 13,500-foot Mauna Loa volcano. It has not erupted since 1984 and has erupted 33 times since 1843.

October 2002 - Mount Etna in Italy erupted forcing 1,000 people from their homes. The force of the eruption caused 3 earthquakes and hundreds of tremors. Residential areas were not affected but tourist facilities have been swallowed up, and acres of pine forest have been consumed by fire.

November 2002 - In Ecuador, El Reventador erupted after being dormant for 26 years. The volcano’s explosion shot a mushroom cloud almost 10 miles into the sky and a NASA satellite in space captured an image of brown smoke shooting through white clouds.