Spectacular footage has captured lava from a volcano on a French island making contact with the ocean for the first time in years. Since the Piton de la Fournaise volcano erupted last month on Réunion Island in the Indian Ocean, molten rock has been slowly creeping towards the shore. The scalding lava vaporises the water into steam, casting mystical shrouds back over the island, while the rock solidifies and grows the size of the island. Mesmerised crowds have gathered to watch the natural phenomenon, which the island has not seen for almost 19 years. They are using drones and thermometers - applied directly to the lava - to track its flow and measure its temperature.

Source: Daily Mail March 18, 2026 16:37 UTC