Refugees fleeing Central Africa's most destructive volcanic eruption in 25 years awoke hungry, thirsty and weak from smoke inhalation today as a furnace of molten rock continued to destroy homes and streets.
Fires raged and tremors shook the earth after daybreak throughout the Rwanda-Democratic Republic of Congo border region as hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing smoking lava from Nyiragongo volcano scavenged for food.
"The earth tremors are continuing, getting very strong," said Mr Fidele Mitsindo, governor of the Rwandan town of Gisenyi.
"Several cracks opened up in Gisenyi overnight, at least one house fell down," Mr Mitsindo said. His town lies across the border from the eastern Congolese lakeside port of Goma that was partially destroyed by Nyiragongo on Thursday and Friday.
Residents said thousands of refugees including children had not eaten or drunk anything since the start of the eruption on Thursday and a humanitarian crisis was unfolding.
A large number of people tried to go back into Goma this morning through a blackened landscape shrouded in smoke and mist but could not find a way through the lava.
"There is no water, no food, no shelter," cameraman Mr Themis Hakizimana said. "Some people are feeling sick because of the smoke. Children are hungry."
More than 300,000 refugees clutching bedding and bundles of goods formed a river of human misery eastwards into Rwanda. Others fled in boats to Bukavu on the southern tip of Lake Kivu.
UN officials estimated 45 people had died in the eruption by the majestic 11,380-foot mountain, rated one of Africa's most dangerous volcanoes.
"Overnight the situation seems to have slowed a bit," Rwandan volcanologist Mr Dieudonne Wafula said. "The lava slowed, but the big problem now which we have to deal with very quickly is the fires. Roads and houses and also the airport runway are being eaten by fire."
He said they had spent the whole night trying to organize water trucks, but though they had been promised there was still no sign of them arriving.
Before dawn, the Red Cross and other agencies started distributing water and high energy biscuits along the side of the road in Gisenyi but it appeared a modest effort in view of the size of the unfolding crisis, residents said.
In New York, UN Secretary-General Mr Kofi Annan assured the Congolese and Rwandan governments that he would "put the assets of the United Nations to full use in assisting them in mitigating the consequences of this disaster."
He was sending Ross Mountain, assistant emergency relief coordinator, to the region to support UN country teams already in place. A UN disaster assessment team were en route to the affected area, complete with volcano experts.
The United States said it would send $224,000 worth of relief supplies, including dust masks, water jugs and blankets.
Goma residents warned that malaria would soon start stalking thousands of people sleeping rough, while any possible outbreak of cholera would prove an even worse disaster.
"UN staff were told yesterday to quit Gisenyi for the greater safety of Ruhengeri further east, and about 50,000 refugees rapidly decided to do the same," a UN official said.
"People haven't had any food for more than a day now," said Mr James Mathenge of the World Vision aid group.
"There are many children separated from there parents in the rush to get out of the city."
In the Congolese capital Kinshasa, the Health Ministry asked the international community for immediate assistance, including shelters, blankets, drinking water and sanitation facilities.
"There are experts here, but this came without a word from the authorities," said Mr Justin Mosala, (48), gesturing at a mass of steaming rock slurry blocking Goma's main street.
"We should have been warned about this catastrophe," he said, raising his voice in anger.