Popocatpetl volcanic activity puts area on high alert

[Judi Lynn]

16. Threatening 22 million people, Mexico's Popocatepetl is a very closely watched volcano

Last edited Tue May 23, 2023, 05:03 PM - Edit history (1)

MARÍA VERZA Associated Press 8 min ago

MEXICO CITY — Mexico's Popocatepetl volcano rumbled to life again this past week, belching out towering clouds of ash that forced 11 villages to cancel school sessions.

The residents weren't the only ones keeping a close eye on the towering peak. Every time there is a sigh, tic or heave in Popocatepetl, there are dozens of scientists, a network of sensors and cameras, and a roomful of powerful equipment watching its every move.



The 17,797-foot volcano, known affectionately as “El Popo,” has been spewing toxic fumes, ash and lumps of incandescent rock persistently for almost 30 years, since it awakened from a long slumber in 1994.

The volcano is 45 miles southeast of Mexico City, but looms much closer to the eastern fringes of the metropolitan area of 22 million people. The city also faces threats from earthquakes and sinking soil, but the volcano is the most visible potential danger — and the most closely watched. A severe eruption could cut off air traffic, or smother the city in clouds of choking ash.

Volcanic ashes are especially dangerous for aviation, not only because they reduce visibility but because they can act as an abrasive, damaging an aircraft's wings and fuselage.

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