Nyiragongo, the volcano that began to erupt in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, has left at least 15 people dead and destroyed more than 500 homes, Associated Press reported quoting officials and survivors.

Nearly 5,000 people fled from the city of Goma across the nearby border into Rwanda on Saturday night, while 25,000 others sought refuge at a United Nations children’s agency in northwest Sake, according to AP’s report.

In pictures | Life affected in DR Congo as volcano erupts after two decades

The report also says that more than 170 children were feared missing on Sunday and United Nations Children’s Fund was organising transit centres to help unaccompanied children in view of the disaster.

The volcano’s previous eruption was on January 17, 2002, when a cloud of ashes spewed three kilometres (9,800 feet) into the air and sent between 15 and 25 million cubic metres (530- 880 million cubic feet) of lava towards Goma.

Also read: DR Congo volcano lava flow halts in suburbs of Goma: Report

More than 100 people died and parts of the city were destroyed, with the loss of almost 14,000 structures that left 130,000 people homeless.

Between 300,000-500,000 people fled to neighbouring Rwanda.