Volcano in Reunion
Piton de la Fournaise volcano: eruption status today
Updated
No eruption of Piton de la Fournaise is being reported right now Last eruption: 1964 or later; last significant eruption 1972 (NOAA NCEI).
Live status of Piton de la Fournaise: whether it is erupting now, satellite hot spots, earthquakes around it, and what an eruption would mean for nearby cities and flights.
- Status now
- No open report
- Last eruption
- 1964 or later last significant: 1972
- Elevation
- 2,632 m 8,636 ft
- Type
- Shield volcano
- Earthquakes within 50 km
- 0 past 30 days (USGS)
- Hot spots within 10 km
- 0 latest NASA FIRMS VIIRS data
- Nearest city
- Saint-Denis 48 km NNW
Is Piton de la Fournaise erupting right now?
There is no open NASA EONET event for Piton de la Fournaise right now. NOAA NCEI dates its most recent eruption to 1964 or later, and the last eruption in its significant-eruption database was in 1972. Volcano observatories can raise alert levels before an eruption starts, so check the national observatory for the current alert level.
No satellite thermal hot spot was detected within 10 km of the summit in the latest NASA FIRMS data, so there is no sign of lava at the surface large enough for VIIRS to see (clouds can hide it).
Earthquakes near Piton de la Fournaise
USGS has no earthquake within 50 km of Piton de la Fournaise in the past 30 days. Outside the United States USGS mainly lists quakes above about M4, so small volcanic tremors recorded by the local observatory will not appear here.
About Piton de la Fournaise
Piton de la Fournaise is a shield volcano in Indian O-W, Reunion, rising to 2,632 m (8,636 ft). NOAA NCEI classes its eruptive history as "Historical".
Shield volcanoes have broad, gentle slopes built by fluid lava flows; eruptions are usually effusive (lava fountains and flows) rather than explosive.
The nearest large town is Saint-Denis, about 48 km NNW of the summit; 4 other cities lie within 250 km.
- Saint-Denis (48 km) earthquakes nearby
- Saint-Paul, Reunion (52 km) earthquakes nearby
- Vacoas (212 km)
- Beau Bassin-Rose Hill (215 km)
- Port Louis (222 km)
Flights and volcanic ash
1 major airport is within 400 km; the closest is Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam (MRU), 224 km away. Volcanic ash melts in jet engines, so an explosive eruption can close airspace and cancel flights even far downwind.
Volcanic Ash Advisory Centres (VAACs) issue the official ash advisories that airlines and air traffic control follow.
| Airport | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam (MRU) | 224 km | ENE |
Other volcanoes in Reunion
Reunion has 1 volcano on this site that erupted since 1900 or are active now.
More
Data: NOAA NCEI Volcano Locations, NASA EONET (open volcano events), USGS earthquakes, NASA FIRMS (VIIRS hot spots), Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program.