Popocatepetl volcano keeps Mexico on edge with 12 eruptions in 24 hours

The volcanic activity in the crater caused the government's National Disaster Prevention Center to raise the risk to "Yellow Phase 2."

Imagen de la explosión del 11 de abril del Volcán Popocatépetl, en México. — (CENAPRED)

Published by

Rosana Rábago Sainz

11 de abril, 2023

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The Popocatépetl volcano has kept Mexico on edge for several days. Twelve eruptions and 199 steam exhalations were recorded in the last 24 hours. This caused the Mexican government's National Center for Disaster Prevention (CENAPRED) to raise the risk to "Yellow Phase 2," the penultimate of the yellow levels which, according to the agency, indicates that the volcano "presents increased activity, with sporadic explosions."

The eruptions, CENAPRED detailed in a volcano monitoring report, are mostly minor. However, three others of a moderate nature were recorded as the day progressed on Monday:

Nine minor explosions were recorded, four yesterday at 11:58, 17:04, 21:37 and 22:59 h, and five today at 2:17, 2:36, 3:48, 4:09 and 4:54; three moderate explosions also occurred today at 6:21, 7:10 and 8:36 local time.

The volcanic activity, reported the National Center for Disaster Prevention, prevented the agency from obtaining "visibility due to clouds." However, they assured prior to the explosions that "a constant emission of water vapor and volcanic gases was observed in an east-southeast direction." This, coupled with 169 minutes of low amplitude tremor, prompted the following warning:

CENAPRED emphatically reiterates the recommendation NOT TO ASCEND the crater of the volcano, since there is the possibility of explosions, as has been seen on several occasions in the past involving the emission of incandescent fragments. In case of heavy rains, stay away from the bottom of ravines due to the danger of mud and debris flows.

This was not the only recommendation made by the Mexican agency. It also recalled that it was necessary to "continue with the security radius of 12 kilometers" or "control traffic between Santiago Xalitzintla and San Pedro Nexapa." These are two of the towns close to the volcano, which has registered a total of 308 eruptions so far this year alone.