OVPF reported that a seismic crisis at Piton de la Fournaise was recorded during 0815-0851 on 2 April and was accompanied by rapid deformation (10-20 microradians). After a lull in activity for about three hours, volcanic tremor beginning at 1220 indicated the likely arrival of magma at the surface, though weather conditions prevented visual confirmation. During an overflight that day around 1500 observers confirmed a fissure eruption around 1,900 m elevation on the E flank about 1.7 km from the center of Dolomieu Crater, and just below the 10-16 February eruption site. Lava fountains rose no more than 30 m. By 0625 on 3 April lava flows had traveled as far as the top of Grandes Pentes, at 1,000 m elevation and 3.8 km from RN2 (the national road). By 1500 no significant deformation had been recorded and five volcano-tectonic earthquakes were located less than 2 km deep. The report noted that the weak seismicity and minor deformation indicated that the magma followed an existing pathway while propagating towards the surface.

The average lava-flow rate during 3-4 April was between 2 and 45 cubic meters per second with an average around 7-10 cubic meters per second. Lava flows continued to advance, reaching 800 m elevation. During 0400-0900 on 5 April the seismic network recorded 10 volcano-tectonic earthquakes (less than 2 km deep) prompting a request for an overflight and an inspection of the flow field. The distal end of the lava flow was located at 550 m elevation, about 2.7 km from RN2. The lava-flow rate had increased to between 3 and 63 cubic meters per second with an average around 24.2 cubic meters per second on 5 April and increased again to an estimate average of 30 cubic meters per second on 6 April. The longest flow had stopped advancing with activity focused on a new, more southern lava flow. By 1000 on 6 April the southern lava flow had descended to 360 m elevation, or about 2 km from RN2, as mapped during an overflight. Large quantities of Pele's hair were located in areas to the N, especially in La Plaine des Cafres. A sharp decrease in tremor intensity was recorded around 1330 on 6 April, signaling the end of the eruption.

Geological Summary. Piton de la Fournaise is a massive basaltic shield volcano on the French island of Réunion in the western Indian Ocean. Much of its more than 530,000-year history overlapped with eruptions of the deeply dissected Piton des Neiges shield volcano to the NW. Three scarps formed at about 250,000, 65,000, and less than 5,000 years ago by progressive eastward slumping, leaving caldera-sized embayments open to the E and SE. Numerous pyroclastic cones are present on the floor of the scarps and their outer flanks. Most recorded eruptions have originated from the summit and flanks of Dolomieu, a 400-m-high lava shield that has grown within the youngest scarp, which is about 9 km wide and about 13 km from the western wall to the ocean on the E side. More than 150 eruptions, most of which have produced fluid basaltic lava flows, have occurred since the 17th century. Only six eruptions, in 1708, 1774, 1776, 1800, 1977, and 1986, have originated from fissures outside the scarps.

Source: Observatoire Volcanologique du Piton de la Fournaise (OVPF)