Popocatépetl volcano near Mexico City spews ash as evacuation plans are made: NPR
The Popocatépetl volcano spits incandescent material on Tuesday. Mexico’s second-highest volcano has increased its activity and authorities have raised the alert to the second-highest level.
Christophe Rogel Blanquet/Getty Images
hide caption
toggle caption
Christophe Rogel Blanquet/Getty Images
The Popocatépetl volcano spits incandescent material on Tuesday. Mexico’s second-highest volcano has increased its activity and authorities have raised the alert to the second-highest level.
Christophe Rogel Blanquet/Getty Images
The Popocatepetl volcano, just outside Mexico City, has erupted occasionally since 1994, but in the past week it has rumbled daily.
Scientists recorded hundreds of explosions and webcams aimed at the volcano showed it spewing out glowing material. From Mexico City, you can see a column of ash rising from the top.
Smoke, ash and molten rock poured into the sky from Popocatépetl on Sunday, posing risks to aviation and communities below. Two airports in Mexico City temporarily halted operations on Saturday due to ash fall.
Rafael Duran/AFP via Getty Images
hide caption
toggle caption
Rafael Duran/AFP via Getty Images
Smoke, ash and molten rock poured into the sky from Popocatépetl on Sunday, posing risks to aviation and communities below. Two airports in Mexico City temporarily halted operations on Saturday due to ash fall.
Rafael Duran/AFP via Getty Images
Volcanic ash from the Popocatépetl volcano falls on Atlixco, Mexico on Monday. Authorities are preparing for a possible evacuation and telling people to stay out of a 7.5-mile radius around the summit.
Marco Ugarte/AP
hide caption
toggle caption
Marco Ugarte/AP
Volcanic ash from the Popocatépetl volcano falls on Atlixco, Mexico on Monday. Authorities are preparing for a possible evacuation and telling people to stay out of a 7.5-mile radius around the summit.
Marco Ugarte/AP
Like Mount Vesuvius in Italy and Mount St. Helens in Washington State, Popocatépetl is a stratovolcano capable of catastrophic and explosive eruptions, the last of which occurred around the year 800.
A car is covered in ash Tuesday from the Popocatépetl volcano in the village of Santiago Xalitzintla in Puebla state, Mexico.
Claudio Cruz/AFP via Getty Images
hide caption
toggle caption
Claudio Cruz/AFP via Getty Images
A car is covered in ash Tuesday from the Popocatépetl volcano in the village of Santiago Xalitzintla in Puebla state, Mexico.
Claudio Cruz/AFP via Getty Images
A couple wear balaclavas and masks on Monday to protect themselves from ash fall from the Popocatépetl volcano in Atlixco, Mexico.
Marco Ugarte/AP
hide caption
toggle caption
Marco Ugarte/AP
A couple wear balaclavas and masks on Monday to protect themselves from ash fall from the Popocatépetl volcano in Atlixco, Mexico.
Marco Ugarte/AP
Mexican scientists say it’s impossible to say how long this new activity will last, or whether recent activity could lead to such an explosion. But they say the 17,900ft volcano, known locally as El Popo, will give enough warning to evacuate the millions who could be in danger.
Mexico has deployed about 7,000 troops to the area to help prepare for an evacuation if needed. More than 25 million people live within 60 miles of the peak.
Mexican soldiers drive to Santiago Xalitzintla on Tuesday as ash from the Popocatépetl volcano blankets the streets.
Marco Ugarte/AP
hide caption
toggle caption
Marco Ugarte/AP
Mexican soldiers drive to Santiago Xalitzintla on Tuesday as ash from the Popocatépetl volcano blankets the streets.
Marco Ugarte/AP
Mexican soldiers sweep the ashes from the streets on Tuesday in Santiago Xalitzintla.
Claudio Cruz/AFP via Getty Images
hide caption
toggle caption
Claudio Cruz/AFP via Getty Images
Mexican soldiers sweep the ashes from the streets on Tuesday in Santiago Xalitzintla.
Claudio Cruz/AFP via Getty Images
Women walk through ash-covered streets in Santiago Xalitzintla on Monday.
Marco Ugarte/AP
hide caption
toggle caption
Marco Ugarte/AP
Women walk through ash-covered streets in Santiago Xalitzintla on Monday.
Marco Ugarte/AP
NPR News
