Volcano Erupts: Smoke and Ash From Mexico Volcano Popocatépetl Yellow Alert (Video)

3-13-17

One of Mexico’s most famous volcanos erupted this weekend, sending clouds of ash down on surrounding communities.

Popocatépetl has erupted twice since Saturday evening and emitted hundreds of short, low-intensity bursts of gas and smoke, Mexican authorities said on Sunday afternoon.

From Paul Bewgley

Unlike Italy’s Mount Etna, Popocatépetl hasn’t spewed any spectacular lava — much to the relief of residents in Mexico’s Puebla valley, which sits about 80 miles east of Mexico City. 

The area remains under “yellow alert,” meaning families should protect their food and drinking water from the volcano’s falling ash. 

But Popocatépetl is still lit up, even if cameras can’t capture it. At some points on the night of March 10, the volcano’s crater gave off a glow that intensified to a brilliant orange each time the volcano belched smoke, Mexico’s National Center for Disaster Prevention reported.

SEE ALSO: A volcano just erupted in Europe and the footage is amazing

On a rare smogless day in Mexico City, the white caps of Popocatépetl and its neighboring volcano Iztaccíhuatl can clearly be seen in the distance. 

According to an Aztec legend, Popocatépetl was a handsome warrior and Iztaccíhuatl a beautiful princess. Like all good love stories, their story ends in tragedy.

Elsewhere in North America, Alaska’s Bogoslof volcano has also been acting up. READ MORE