The Mexican volcano known as “El Popo” spewed a huge plume of smoke into the evening sky Tuesday.
A mesmerizing video shows Mexico’s Popocatepetl volcano spewing smoke, ash and gas nearly two miles into the sky.
The nearly 18,000-foot-tall volcano is just 45 miles southeast of Mexico City, where about 25 million people live within a 90-mile radius. Authorities issued an amber alert, warning people to stay away from the area. They said ash could affect Mexico City.
Scientists aim to drill a hole into a volcano’s magma chamber and release powerful energy
Popocatepetl returned in 1994 after decades of dormancy and experienced periods of further activity from 2000 to 2003 and from 2012 to 2016.
According to the BBC, the volcano has been erupting two to three times a day for almost a week.
The volcano was active last May, spewing towering clouds of ash and forcing school classes to be canceled in 11 villages.
Volcanic eruptions can release hot lava and volcanic ash from magma chambers beneath the surface. Volcanoes are often found where tectonic plates are diverging or converging.
Popocatepetl volcano spews ash and steam as seen from Santiago Salizintla, Mexico, Monday, May 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)
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Meanwhile, the Icelandic volcano, which had been erupting since December, appears to have calmed down. A volcano near the coastal town of Grindavik in southwestern Iceland has caused the closure of the popular tourist destination Blue Lagoon and evacuations. In response, authorities declared a state of emergency.
The first eruption occurred on December 18, and the second one a month later in January. In the second eruption, lava entered Grindavik and destroyed several houses and buildings.
Fox Weather’s Steven Yablonski and Chris Oberholtz and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Lava crosses the main road to Grindavik, Iceland, on February 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Di Marco)
