Overview
- Two to three lava flows crossed the coastal RN2 on Friday, severing the link between Saint‑Philippe and Sainte‑Rose after a monthlong eruption that began on February 13.
- Volcanologists reported the advancing fronts were still hundreds of meters from the Indian Ocean, with measurements around 670 meters and 626 meters reported during the day.
- Officials say there is no immediate threat to people or buildings because the affected stretch lies in an uninhabited area.
- The prefecture closed the road and limited access, allowing only pedestrians and cyclists at a checkpoint as large crowds gathered to view the rare event.
- Regional authorities plan a provisional route, and past rebuilds indicate seven to eight months will be needed to reconstruct the road once the lava cools and settles.