As the almost 18,000-foot Popocatépetl volcano in Mexico continues to spew ash throughout the region, it has prompted the closure of schools and the cancellation of hundreds of flights, affecting a population of three million people.
Popocatépetl, the largest active volcano in Mexico, can be found in the central Mexican states of Puebla, Morelos, and Mexico. The volcano is located 45 miles southeast of Mexico City, and about 25 million people live within a 60-mile radius of it.
Mexico City Is Hit By An Eruption Of The Popocatépetl Volcano
Popocatépetl, a volcano located just west of Mexico City, has been periodically erupting since 1994, but it has been rumbling every day for the past week.
Webcams pointed at the volcano show it spewing molten rock, and scientists have documented hundreds of explosions. Like Mount Vesuvius in Italy and Mount St. Helens in Washington state, Popocatépetl is a stratovolcano capable of catastrophic, explosive eruptions; the last one was around the year 800 and could be seen from Mexico City thanks to the ash column rising from the peak.
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After officials noticed activity emanating from Popocatépetl in mid-April, the volcano began erupting early this month. On April 14, photos of the volcano’s spring activity were acquired by a satellite operated by NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey.
The National Disaster Prevention Center of Mexico shared a time-lapse video of the volcano spouting smoke and ash at sunrise on Facebook on Monday.
According to Mexican scientists, it is now impossible to predict how long this new activity will remain or if the recent activity will lead to such a catastrophe. Locals claim that El Popo, a 17,700-foot volcano, will give ample warning for the millions who could be in danger. NPR has posted an official Instagram post in which millions of people have been warned to prepare for evacuation as the volcano erupts.
View this post on Instagram
In case an evacuation is necessary, Mexico has stationed some 7,000 troops in the area. The peak is less than 60 miles from more than 25 million people’s homes.
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