By JACK KAHORHA, Associated Press Writer
             GOMA, Congo (AP) - A volcano in eastern Congo spewed plumes of lava 300 feet into the air Saturday, but scientists said it posed no direct threat to a nearby city that was devastated by an eruption earlier this year.
             Mount Nyamulagira began erupting Thursday night near the city of Goma, which was devastated by an eruption earlier this year. Two lava flows from Thursday's eruption were heading north and south, said volcanologist Dieudonne Wafula.
             The lava did not threaten Goma because Nyamulagira's sister volcano, Mount Nyiragongo, blocked the path of the southern flow, he said.
             The first tremors from the volcano were felt Thursday morning as smoke began to rise from its crater.
             "This created a small panic in town," Wafula said.
             Nyiragongo erupted on Jan. 17, destroying one-fifth of Goma's residential areas. Parts of the city of 500,000 were covered by up to 10 feet of lava. About 100 people were killed.
             Dario Tedesco, another volcanologist in Goma, said volcanic activity at Nyiragongo had also increased in the last two weeks, with lava filling its crater.
             Nyiragongo and Nyamulagira, about 13 miles and 25 miles northeast of Goma respectively, are the only two active volcanoes in the region.
             Monitoring of the two volcanoes has improved since the January eruption, Tedesco said. There are now six monitoring stations and once a week volcanologists use a U.N. helicopter to get closer looks at the volcanoes.
             Nyamulagira erupts every year or two. Its last eruption in February 2001 lasted several weeks, but did not threaten populated areas.
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