After almost four years of silence Reunion's Piton de la Fournaise volcano, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, started erupting yesterday (June 21st) at 1:35am this morning. The eruption started on the southeastern side of the main summit crater, in a very remote part of the volcano, so there was little-to-no threat from the flows, unlike the eruption in 2007. There had been 10 days of precursory signs that an eruption was in the works, with higher gas emissions and seismicity, along with a red glow in the area very recently. After about 20 hours the eruption came to a stop.
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| © AFP Photo / Richard Bouhet |
This was the 11th eruption in 10 years.
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| © AFP Photo / Richard Bouhet |
The previous eruption was October 14th-December 10th 2010.
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| © AFP Photo / Richard Bouhet |
See also this video, shot by local TV channel Antenne Reunion:
Useful links:
- Volcano observatory webcams (although unfortunately this current eruption is not occurring in view of any of the webcams pointed at the volcano).
You might also like:
- April 2007 volcano eruption lava flows
- Around the volcano
- Plaine des Palmistes to Plaines des Cafres via Piton Textor (hike)
- Recent Piton de la Fournaise eruptions
- Trekking the volcano
