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The alert level was raised Sunday for a volcano in Central Mexico spewing ash and smoke, prompting officials to close schools and public parks, and prepare for possible evacuations.
Mexico’s National Disaster Prevention Center said Sunday that the alert level was raised to what it called Phase 3which is just shy of the evacuation order, for the area around the volcano, Popocatépetl, in the central region of the country.
Laura Velázquez Alzúa, head of the center, said in a press conference on Sunday that when the alert level is raised to Phase 3, the volcano can produce light to moderate explosions that can throw rock fragments, causing ash. fall in the surrounding area, and disrupt air travel. Expulsion of the magma is also possible, the center said.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico said in a news conference on Friday this morning he was in contact with federal and local officials about the volcano, adding that the volcano continues to be monitored.
“We are standing up,” Mr. López Obrador said in Spanish.
The disaster prevention center said authorities in the area around Popocatepetl were preparing evacuation teams and shelters, and local and state officials were also planning evacuation routes on Monday.
“We have to be sure that the evacuation routes and signs are correct,” said Ms. Velazquez Alzua.
Popocatépetl (poh-poh-kah-TEH-peh-til), sometimes referred to as the rain god or the heartbeat of the community, was quiet for decades before becoming active in the 1990s. In 2000, a large eruption led to the evacuation of about 50,000 people from the area. Since then, mild to moderate activity from the volcano has prompted officials to occasionally raise the alert level.
It was unclear Monday how long the period of increased volcanic activity would last.
Jessica Ball, a volcanologist with the US Geological Survey, said it is normal for active volcanoes, such as Popocatépetl, to go through cycles of increased activity.
“This is just part of an active volcano,” he said. “There is no cycle on the human time scale that governs volcanoes erupting at that time.”
A time-lapse video shared by the center on social media on Monday showed the volcano spewing smoke and ash in the morning.
On Monday afternoon, officials suspended operations at Hermanos Serdán International Airport, a small facility in Puebla, due to ash on the runway.
The official said in a news conference on Saturday that the state of Puebla, which includes part of the volcano, has set up 35 shelters with space for up to 22,000 people in case of evacuation.
Puebla state officials also said on Sunday that, to minimize the risk of light falling ash, some public parks in the area will be closed and schools will continue classes virtually for the time being.
The National Disaster Prevention Center urges residents living near the volcano to avoid going outdoors. Those who go outside should wear a face mask or cover their nose and mouth with a handkerchief, the center said.
In areas where ash has been accumulating, the center said residents should cover water containers to prevent contamination, and sweep the ash and collect it in bags.
The volcano’s alert level was raised a day after Popocatépetl sent ash falling from the sky, prompting the temporary closure on Saturday of two major airports serving Mexico City, about 55 miles northeast of the volcano.
Volcanic ash is particularly dangerous for aircraft, according to the USGS Falling ash can interfere with aircraft radio transmissions and navigation systems, can block fuel nozzles and can create dangerous conditions on runways that can lead to brake problems.
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