At least 15 die in lava flows after volcano erupts in Democratic Republic of Congo

More than 500 homes have been destroyed by the lava that has poured into villages, officials and survivors say

At least 15 people died when torrents of lava poured into villages after dark in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, destroying more than 500 homes, officials and survivors said on Sunday.

The eruption of Mount Nyiragongo on Saturday night sent about 5,000 people fleeing from the city of Goma across the nearby border into Rwanda, while another 25,000 others sought refuge to the north-west in Sake, the UN children's agency said on Sunday.