EUROPE IMAGES INTERNATIONAL - M5

Synopsis

On 21st August 1986, the whole world was horrified by a natural catastrophe in Cameroon. Nyos, a lake in the crater of a volcano, released an enormous cloud of carbon dioxide into the air. Within a few hours 1800 people from the surrounding villages had been asphyxiated. Even after the disaster, the lake still contained an enormous quantity of carbon dioxide. It was a time bomb waiting to explode.In May 1995 an expedition of French scientists set out to experiment to see if there was a way to diffuse this build up of gas. The film tells the story of this scientific adventure. Full of unexpected developments and human incident and humour, it shows how determination and ingenuity can overcome serious odds.