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Piton de la Fournaise volcano on Réunion Island enters alert phase
The Piton de la Fournaise volcano on the French island of Réunion has entered a period of heightened activity following a seismic crisis on Saturday, October 24, 2026. The Observatoire Volcanologique du Piton de la Fournaise (OVPF) reported that 146 shallow volcano-tectonic earthquakes were recorded within a single hour, indicating a magmatic intrusion toward the surface.
While the magma did not reach the surface—an event described by the OVPF as a sort of ‘abortive eruption’—the magmatic reservoir remains under pressure. Authorities have activated Alert Level 1 and closed access to the Enclos Fouqué caldera to the public. During the initial crisis, approximately thirty people were evacuated from the sector by the Gendarmerie, with some hikers being airlifted by helicopter.
As of Sunday, October 25, monitoring continues as seismicity and summit deformation persist. Experts note that such intrusions can precede an eruption by days or weeks, and no possibility of a future eruption has been ruled out.
Entities
Enclos Fouqué · Gendarmerie · La Réunion · Observatoire volcanologique du Piton de la Fournaise · Piton de la Fournaise · Prefecture of La Réunion · Réunion Island
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 3 SOURCES] The volcano last erupted on February 13. www.hna.de · www.kreiszeitung.de · www.merkur.de
- [● 3 SOURCES] The prefecture has declared Level 1 of the volcanic emergency plan. www.hna.de · www.kreiszeitung.de · www.merkur.de
- [● 3 SOURCES] Magma is rising from the chamber toward the surface. www.hna.de · www.kreiszeitung.de · www.merkur.de
- [● 3 SOURCES] Public access to the Enclos Fouqué caldera has been closed. www.hna.de · www.kreiszeitung.de · www.merkur.de
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Piton de la Fournaise volcano is nearing an eruption. www.hna.de · www.kreiszeitung.de · www.merkur.de