Piton de la Fournaise volcano Erupts on Réunion Island
Published: January 18, 2026, at 6:44 p.m. (18:44) by Editorial News
The Piton de la Fournaise volcano on Réunion Island erupted on Sunday, January 18, 2026, at 7:42 p.m. local time (4:42 p.m.in Paris). The Piton de la Fournaise Volcanological Observatory (OVPF) reports that the eruption currently poses no importent threat to public safety.
According to the OVPF, the eruptive fissure(s) opened on the northern flank of the volcano.The eruption is localized in a completely uninhabited area, posing no immediate danger to people, property, or the surroundings.
The volcano had been exhibiting signs of unrest for several weeks, with notable seismic activity recorded by the OVPF’s monitoring equipment. A strong seismic crisis between December 31st and January 1st prompted the prefecture to activate the level 1 alert phase of the ORSEC plan, indicating a probable eruption in the very short term. While the seismicity subsided and the alert was lifted shortly after, activity resumed on Sunday with another significant seismic crisis beginning at 4:34 p.m., leading to the re-activation of the level 1 ORSEC alert. The eruption followed approximately three hours later.
Piton de la Fournaise is one of the world’s most active volcanoes, having erupted roughly twenty times in the last decade.Its most recent eruption occurred between July 2nd and August 10th,2023.
The eruptions of Piton de la fournaise are characterized as effusive, or Hawaiian-type, eruptions. This means lava flows primarily over the volcano’s surface, rather than explosive eruptions that eject ash clouds into the atmosphere. The spectacle of flowing lava attracts numerous spectators, including both local residents and tourists.