7 of the Most Dangerous Lakes in the World - Page 4 of 9

Lake Kivu, Rwanda

Lake Kivu is the largest lake in Rwanda and the sixth-largest in Africa. Despite its popularity as a top vacation spot for its scenic beauty and breathtaking landscapes, Lake Kivu is a major catastrophe waiting to happen. This lake has the potential to explosively release dangerous gases in a limnic eruption, capable of suffocating all of the inhabitants of the lakeshore. Being the largest of the three deadliest exploding lakes in the world, Lake Kivu holds 16 cubic miles of carbon dioxide and 16 cubic miles of methane at the bottom of the lake. An earthquake or volcanic activity could trigger the release of these dangerous gases, threatening the lives of the 2 million people who live in the lake basin area.