Contest #178 answer: Lake Nyos, Cameroon

Lake Nyos is a crater lake in Cameroon, Africa.
The volcano still leaks Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and in 1986 the saturated CO2 was suddenly released by the water, killing 1700 people (and 3500 livestock) in villages surrounding the lake.
In 1995 a French team demoed a degassing installation in the lake to prevent future incidents and in 2001 a permanent degassing installation, funded by the US US Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance, was installed
Those who escaped from the cloud:
  • hhgygy
  • Chris Nason
  • Dennis S.
  • brian t
  • Paul Franson
  • Bill Close
  • Sasha Smith
  • steve willis
  • Sarah G
  • eli
  • Steve Jaycocks

-Hint-

  • LawnBoy
  • Milosh, Serbia
  • Falco
  • ACG
  • Andy M, USA
  • Rolando Marín Monge
  • Andy McConnell
  • Alonso Alfaro
  • Linda G
  • blacbronco
  • Michael Kennedy
  • elistudent
  • Chris Hanson
  • Thomas Egan
  • steven simmons
  • Johosophat
  • Empress Morrison
  • alyca
  • Elrober
  • mccrumplair
  • richard cranium
  • Willem
  • eli’s sidekick
  • Jack