First eruption of the piton de La Fournaise in 2022

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An active volcano

Located in the south-east of Reunion, the piton de la Fournaise is one of the most active volcanoes on the planet.

The Piton de la Fournaise erupted on September 19, 2022 at 08:05am (local time).

Following the seismic crisis that began at 6:23 a.m. (local time), the volcanic tremor synonymous with the arrival of magma near the surface has been recorded since around 7:48 a.m. (local time). According to records from the Volcanological Observatory of Piton de la Fournaise (OVPF), the source of this tremor is located on the south-southwest flank, in the sector of the Rivals crater (located around 2,200 m above sea level). ‘altitude).

On that day, Monday 19th september 2022, the Prefect decided to trigger alert phase 2-1 of the special Orsec volcano plan: eruption in progress inside the enclosure. Public access to Enclos Fouqué from the Pas de Bellecombe-Jacob and all other footpaths, were forbidden until further notice, as were all aircraft landings in the area around the volcano.

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Reunion Islands, intensely volcanic

Piton de la Fournaise, a Hawaiian-type volcano, rises to a height of 2.632 metres and has its own natural enclosure. It presents no danger for the population or for visitors who want to admire this unique pyrotechnic show in the Indian Ocean.

The previous eruption of piton de la Fournaise took place from December 22, 2021 and ended on January 17, 2022. A few days before Christmas, the volcano offered visitors an unprecedented fireworks display for the end of year celebrations, a new volcanic cone had formed with tunnel activity, it is called Piton Karay and fountains of blue lava sprang from the crater, said the Volcanological Observatory of Piton de la Fournaise (OVPF).

Reunion Islands is intensely volcanic! With four spectacular eruptions in 2018, Piton de la Fournaise recorded five eruptions for the year 2019 and three for the year 2020 and two in 2021.

Located in the south east of the island, piton de la Fournaise is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. He has woken up more than twenty times over the past ten years. This mythical volcano is one of Reunion‘s major tourist attractions.

To live new experiences, discover:

As part of the island’s UNESCO World Heritage site, Piton de la Fournaise forms part of Reunion Island’s volcanic mountain range along with its older sibling, piton des Neiges. To reach this effusive volcano, you have to cross the remarkable red-tinged landscapes of Plaine des Sables, which look remarkably like those on Mars.

Journey to the centre of the Earth

Do you fancy taking things further? Pay Piton de la Fournaise a visit at the Cité du Volcan, located in Plaine des Cafres. Through an innovative and interactive museum experience that’s both fun and educational, you’ll discover Reunion Island’s geological history.

For an all-round experience in the bowels of Piton de la Fournaise, there’s nothing like the lava tubes! There are some fifty underground passages around Saint-Philippe and Sainte-Rose, which lead to the old lava flows dating from 2004 and 2007. Authorised guides supervise this extraordinary activity so that both young and old can enjoy the best possible experience. With a helmet and headlamp, you can experience a fun natural science lesson with family or friends through impressive galleries that can reach more than a kilometre in length.

You’ll find full HD videos of Piton de La Fournaise updated every half-hour (day and night), on reunion.fr: ICI

Reunion Island offers visitors a range of unique experiences, forget about everyday life and let yourself be transported!