Volcanic Checkpoint: One of the World's Most Active Volcanoes Paralyzed Life on a French Island (1 photo + 3 videos)
A massive natural spectacle is currently unfolding in the Indian Ocean, simultaneously delighting tourists and posing challenges for local authorities. 
One of the most active volcanoes on the planet, Piton de la Fournaise on Réunion Island, has officially emerged from hibernation. It had been quiet for the past two years, but the current reawakening is already being called one of the most powerful in recent memory.
Logistics has been the main victim of the disaster. Hot basalt flows not only approached civilization, but literally "bite" the island's main coastal highway. Traffic is completely paralyzed: where cars were driving yesterday, now a multi-kilometer wall of molten rock is moving. Department authorities quickly closed off the area as the lava is destroying everything in its path, turning the asphalt into a smoking monolith.
However, the main intrigue isn't even the closed roads. Scientists and photographers from around the world are monitoring the lava front's advance toward the coast. If the eruption doesn't slow down, the scorching hot flows will reach the Indian Ocean. This will be historic: the last time lava "flowed" into the water in this region was exactly 20 years ago.
Such contact is not only a spectacular spectacle with columns of steam and boiling water, but also a serious challenge for environmentalists. The process releases toxic gases, and the coastline is literally rewritten before our eyes. While tourists storm safe viewing platforms for rare shots, volcanologists advise against approaching the lava. The Piton de la Fournaise is known for its unpredictable nature: it can suddenly become silent, or continue its "march" toward the water for several weeks.
Why you need this information, I have no idea; it's just beautiful shots.
