The prefecture of La Réunion triggered alert level 1 on Thursday, January 1, due to a probable or imminent eruption of Piton de la Fournaise. A seismic crisis has been detected since 4:47 a.m., indicating that magma is heading toward the surface. Access to the volcano's enclosure has been closed for safety.
The prefecture of La Réunion announced early on Thursday, January 1, 2026, the activation of alert level 1 due to the "probable or imminent" eruption of Piton de la Fournaise, one of the world's most active volcanoes. Located in an uninhabited area in the southeast of the island, this volcano has experienced around twenty eruptions in the last ten years, often producing spectacular lava flows.
Since 4:47 a.m. local time (1:47 a.m. in Paris), the Piton de la Fournaise observatory has recorded a seismic crisis, indicating that "the magma is leaving the magmatic reservoir and propagating toward the surface," as stated by the observatory in a press release. As a result, the prefecture ordered the closure of the volcano's enclosure starting at 6:00 a.m. (3:00 a.m. in Paris), on the first day of the year.
This precaution aims to prevent any risk to the population, although the site is uninhabited. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation, and no evacuations have been required so far. Piton de la Fournaise remains a major point of scientific and tourist interest for La Réunion.
