Piton de la Fournaise enters new effusive phase inside Enclos Fouqué caldera, La Réunion
Piton de la Fournaise volcano on La Réunion entered a new eruptive phase at 19:42 LT (16:42 UTC) on January 18, 2026, after a strong seismic crisis and rapid ground deformation. The eruption is effusive, producing lava flows from fissures on the northern flank inside the Enclos Fouqué caldera. This is the first eruption at Piton de la Fournaise since August 2023.
Eruption at Piton de la Fournaise on January 19, 2026. Credit: OVPF-IPGP
A new effusive eruption began at Piton de la Fournaise, La Réunion, at approximately 19:42 local time (16:42 UTC) on January 18, 2026, following a sharp increase in seismic activity recorded earlier in the afternoon.
According to the Observatoire volcanologique du Piton de la Fournaise (OVPF – IPGP), a seismic crisis began around 16:34 LT (12:34 UTC), marked by numerous volcano-tectonic earthquakes beneath the summit zone.
The rapid increase in tremor amplitude indicated magma rising toward the surface, and within several hours, up to 4 fissures opened within the Enclos Fouqué caldera, emitting low lava fountains.
The eruption is effusive, characterized by low-explosivity basaltic lava emission rather than ash-producing explosions. Visual observations from monitoring cameras confirm sustained fountaining at low height and lava flows contained entirely within the caldera.
In a Volcanic Ash Advisory issued at 16:32 UTC on January 18, the Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) reported that volcanic ash was not identifiable on satellite imagery. The Aviation Color Code was raised to Orange.
Deformation sensors and GPS data showed weeks of gradual inflation at the summit before the eruption, consistent with magma accumulation in the shallow reservoir. OVPF reports indicated renewed inflation in late November and December 2025, a swarm of 227 volcano-tectonic earthquakes on December 5, and a magmatic intrusion on January 1, 2026, that did not reach the surface.
The January 18 seismic crisis marked a transition to rapid pressurization and dike propagation toward the surface.
As of January 19, the eruption remains ongoing with moderate tremor amplitude. OVPF reports continued lava outflow, localized gas emissions, and stable deformation at the summit.
“Seismic activity remains sustained, with an average of 10 earthquakes per hour. New fissure openings remain possible, including further downstream,” OVPS-IPGP volcanologists said early January 19.
Local authorities have restricted access to the upper Enclos Fouqué for safety reasons.
Piton de la Fournaise is one of the most active shield volcanoes on Earth. This eruption is the first since August 2023 and follows approximately 17 months of relative quiescence.
References:
1 Preliminary activity report for Piton de La Fournaise – OVPS-IPGP – January 19, 2026
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