Popocatpetl volcanic activity puts area on high alert

[Judi Lynn]

6. Popocatepetl Volcano Spews Towers of Ash Clouds, 22 Million People in Mexico Under Threat, Schools C

Popocatepetl Volcano Spews Towers of Ash Clouds, 22 Million People in Mexico Under Threat, Schools Close

By Rich Co May 19, 2023 05:18 PM EDT


22 million people were put in danger when ash clouds from Mexico's Popocatepetl volcano erupted; 11 towns have closed their schools as a precaution.

Popocatepetl Volcano
Since it awoke from a protracted hibernation in 1994, the 17,797-foot volcano, known lovingly as "El Popo," has been continuously spewing toxic fumes, ash, and chunks of incandescent rock.

The 22 million-person metropolitan area's eastern edges are much closer to the volcano, which is 45 miles southeast of Mexico City. The city is also at risk from earthquakes and sinking land, but the volcano is the most obvious and well-known threat. A powerful eruption could disrupt air travel or engulf the city in choking ash clouds.

Watching El Popo
A command center in Mexico City is surrounded by 12 seismological monitoring stations, six cameras, a thermal imaging device, and a thermal imaging device that are all operational around the clock.

The command center is staffed round-the-clock by a total of 13 scientists from a multidisciplinary team. It is crucial to be able to alert people to approaching ash clouds so they can take protective measures. In contrast to earthquakes, the warning period for a volcano may be longer, and the peak is typically more predictable.

More:
https://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/56589/20230519/popocatepetl-volcano-spews-towers-ash-clouds-22-million-people-mexico.htm