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Deatils of Situation Update
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Volcano Activity in Mexico on Monday, 16 April, 2012 at 05:02 (05:02 AM) UTC.
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Thursday, 19 April, 2012 at 03:23 UTC |
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As the volatile Popocatepetl volcano belches ash and blazing rock fragments into the air, authorities have amped up alert levels for the areas surrounding the mountain near Mexico City. Increased activity this week prompted Mexican authorities to raise the alert level to five on a seven-level scale. Civil defense dispatcher Dulce Maria told the AP that while the alert level remains high, no evacuations have been planned. The volcano straddles two Mexican states, Puebla and Morelos, about 40 miles south of Mexico City. Areas close to the volcano have been closed off, and people are warned to stay at least seven miles from the crater, where a lava dorm is forming, according to the National Disaster Prevention Center. Nearby residents are urged to cover their mouths to avoid inhaling ash, and to clean it from weak rooftops. On Wednesday, the center reported that some glowing pieces of rock had rolled about a quarter mile down the volcano's slopes. Schools in at least five towns have cancelled classes. The volcano, which has been active since 1994, had experienced its largest known eruption in 2000, when it spewed a 2.5 mile-high column of ash and smoke, forcing thousands to evacuate.
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