Earth Watch Report - Volcanic Activity
The Popocatepetl Volcano, Mexico’s second highest peak just 55 km southeast of Mexico City, is seen from Santiago Xalitxintla, in Puebla, on May 14, 2013 spewing a cloud of ash and smoke. The National Disaster Prevention Centre (CENAPRED) raised the alert level on Sunday to “yellow phase three”. Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP/Getty Images
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| Updated: |
Wednesday, 15 May, 2013 at 03:03 UTC |
| Description |
| Mexico’s Popocatepetl volcano has blown steam for days, prompting authorities to prepare for possible evacuations, but residents are used to their towering neighbor’s rumblings and keep fearlessly heading to work. Popocatepetl, which means “smoking mountain” in the Nahuatl language of the Aztecs, spewed more steam, gas and ash that rose three kilometers (two miles) above the crater early Tuesday, according to the National Disaster Prevention Center. National civil protection coordinator Luis Enrique Puentes said the volcano was “totally calm” following the eruption, which belched out glowing rocks. While there was no immediate need to evacuate the population, the volcano could erupt again Wednesday, he added. The volcano, which is 55 kilometers (34 miles) southeast of Mexico City, has also rumbled and spewed molten rocks in recent days. Last week, it covered several towns in ash, including the capital of Puebla state.
Authorities have raised the alert level to “Yellow Phase Three,” the fifth of a seven-stage warning system, restricting access to an area of 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) around the volcano and preparing evacuation routes. But people living in the nearby town of Santiago Xalitzintla appear calm despite the activity inside the 5,452-meter (17,887-foot) high volcano, known locally as “Gregorio” or “Don Goyo” and considered a magical rainmaker by indigenous populations. “We go out, we look at it and we go back to sleep very soundly,” said Guadalupe de Santiago, balancing a basket of candy on her head near a church in this town just 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) south of the volcano.
“(The volcano) takes care of us. Look at all the water he’s sending us,” she said as rain fell on her. Hundreds of soldiers were sent to Santiago Xalitzintla and two other towns in case the volcano erupts and forces the evacuation of 11,000 residents in this area surrounded by corn fields and small cattle farms. The soldiers checked the condition of roads in case they need to be used for an evacuation and the two shelters were set up in the state of Puebla to house 5,000 people. Around 4.5 million people live within 50 kilometers (31 miles) of Popocatepetl, which had its last major eruption in 2000, forcing thousands of people to evacuate from surrounding towns. |
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| Updated: |
Wednesday, 15 May, 2013 at 15:59 UTC |
| Description |
| Thousands of people living in the shadow of this looming Mexican volcano have been placed on high alert following a dramatic increase in seismic activity from the Popocatepetl crater. The 17,886 ft active volcano near Mexico City, known as Popo, rumbled and shook during the night on Saturday, and has been spewing ash, lava and steam in recent days. Officials have closed off an exclusion zone around the cone of the volcano and are poised to evacuate towns in its foothills as experts warned of plumes of steam reaching more than half a mile into the sky above the crater. Authorities have alerted town in two central states as well as the capital, after Mexico’s National Disaster Prevention Center elevated its alert level to Yellow Phase 3 – the fifth rung on a seven-stage warning scale. Should the alert level rise thousands of people could be evacuated from the most vulnerable villages in the shadow of the peak. Shelters have been set up in case authorities are forced to evacuate residents. A seven-square-mile exclusion zone has been imposed around the cone of the volcano, and soldiers and federal police have been deployed to the area amid fears of further, more violent eruptions from Popo. Popocatepetl is an Aztec word meaning ‘Smoking Mountain’. Popo lay dormant for decades until it began putting out small eruptions of ash almost daily in 1994. These eruptions started strengthening two weeks ago and have increased even more this weekend. |
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| Updated: |
Thursday, 16 May, 2013 at 03:14 UTC |
| Description |
| Seismic activity is continuing at the Popocatepetl volcano near Mexico City and authorities say they have readied shelters and identified evacuation routes in case they should be needed. Mexico’s National Disaster Prevention Center says there were two explosions at the white-capped volcano between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. The center says the volcano spewed a plume of steam about a mile (1.5 kilometer) into the sky. Authorities continue to monitor the volcano’s activity but have not ordered any evacuations. Rain has been forecast for the area, however, and authorities say towns nearby could be flooded with ash mud. Popocatepetl has put out small eruptions of ash almost daily since a round of activity began in 1994. The eruptions started strengthening two weeks ago and increased even more this weekend. |
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Increased volcanic activity at Popocatepetl volcano
Popocatepetl volcano in Mexico has plumed steam for days, alerting authorities to prepare for possible evacuations. According to CENAPRED (Centro Nacional de Prevención de Desastres) at 6:46 UTC on May 15, 2013 there was an explosion that produced incandescent fragments throwing them around the volcano reaching distances up to 1.5 kilometers from the crater, while also generating a plume of ash more than 3 kilometers high which winds scattered northeast. An episode of spasmodic tremor followed, accompanied by incandescent fragments thrown at distances up to 500m on the northeast slope, and ash emission which winds carry northeast.
Webcam screenshots of activity on May 15, 2013 (Credit: Tlamacas/CENAPRED)
During an aerial survey flight by CENAPRED on the morning of May 14, 2013 it was seen that the lava dome has enlarged significantly and is now 350 m in diameter and 50 m thick. But after an explosive event on May 14, 2013 at 2:56 pm UTC it could be observed that the dome had somewhat deflated, although it did not decrease significantly. This situation is possibly the beginning of the dome´s destruction.
Last week, it emitted ash covering several towns, including the capital of Puebla state.
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Clouds of ash and smoke are spewed from the Popocatepetl Volcano as seen from Santiago Xalitxintla, in Puebla, Mexico, on May 13, 2013. According to a report by the National Center of Prevention of Disasters (CENAPRED) the yellow alert phase three is still in force. Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP/Getty Images
Backdropped by Popocatepetl Volcano, Mexico’s second highest peak just 55 km southeast of Mexico City, a farner plows the land in San Nicolas de los Ranchos, in the state of Puebla, on May 14, 2013. The National Disaster Prevention Centre (CENAPRED) raised the alert level on Sunday to “yellow phase three” as the Popocatepetl continues to spew ash and smoke. Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP/Getty Images
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