OVPF reported that a seismic crisis at Piton de la Fournaise began at 1457 on 9 April and was accompanied by rapid deformation beneath the S flank. Seismicity indicated that a fissure opened at 1900 but could not be visually confirmed due to weather conditions. The Alert Level was raised to 2-2. During an overflight at 0840 on 10 April scientists observed a NNW-oriented fissure, 700 m S of Château Fort. Activity was focused at two vents, each producing lava fountains that were no higher than 30 m tall, though fountains also rose from other parts of the fissure. Slow-moving ‘a’a lava flowed SE and then curved E and advanced 1.6 km to 1,800 elevation. The N end of the fissure was no longer active. Two cones had formed over the main vents and were growing larger; by 11 April the more northern vent was the larger of the two. Fountains rose 30-60 m and the lava flow had advanced to 1,750 m elevation. By 1900 on 11 April the lava flow was 3.2 km long and had reached 1,690 m elevation. Lava fountaining continued at the two vents during 12-13 April, rising 20-60 m. The lava flow continued to advance; by 13 April the flow was about 3.6 km long and had reached 1,500-1,550 m elevation.

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)