Mexico raises alert for Popocatepetl volcano

[Guest guest]

http://news.yahoo.com/mexico-raises-alert-popocatepetl-volcano-044504634.html

Mexico raises alert for Popocatepetl volcano

Reuters – 1 hr 10 mins ago.

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican authorities raised the alert level for the

Popocatepetl volcano near to Mexico City on Monday after it started spewing

red-hot fragments of rock.

The lava dome of Popocatepetl, some 50 miles to the southeast of the capital,

started to expand on Friday, Mexico's National Center for Disaster Prevention

said.

This change in activity in the 5,450 meter (17,900 foot) volcano could provoke

big explosions capable of sending incandescent fragments out over considerable

distances, as well as ash showers, the center said in a statement.

The center raised the alert level to yellow phase three from yellow phase two,

indicating possible magma expulsion and explosions of increasing intensity. It

is the third-highest warning on the center's seven-step scale.

Emergency services should ready evacuation teams and shelters, limit access to

the area around the volcano and alert air-traffic control systems, the center

said in its statement.

Experts have noted increased activity in Popocateptl in 2012. It has spewed

smoke and ash sporadically over the last few years and a major eruption in 2000

forced the evacuation of nearly 50,000 residents in three states surrounding the

peak.

(Reporting by Elinor Comlay and r; Editor by Brunnstrom)

[Guest guest]

I've read that the big concern about Popocatepetl is that it might release a large amount of CO2 and other gasses that could reach Mexico City. If that happened, large number of people could die and more would flee. However, since the volcano seems to be venting, I'm not sure that would be much of a threat this time.

In a message dated 4/17/2012 2:05:49 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, no_reply writes:

Mexico raises alert for Popocatepetl volcano