skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Volcanic debris from Popocatepetl volcano closes Mexico airport. Terra Daily via The Extinction Protocol. Excerpts:
Ashes from Mexico’s Popocatepetl volcano forced officials to close the airport in nearby Puebla for some 14 hours, to allow for cleanup after it spewed out heaps of ash and rock. The Puebla International Airport was able to reopen Wednesday after dozens of workers cleared its runways of volcanic ash that posed a risk to departing and arriving aircraft, said officials. The airport’s closing caused just one cancellation, a flight to Houston, Texas early Wednesday, said Puebla’s civil protection director Jesus Morales. Since Popocatepetl came to life several weeks ago, it has spewed gas and glowing rock as much as one mile (1.6 kilometers) beyond its crater, and has intermittently belched out water vapor and ash.
..
The city of Puebla lies in the shadow of the volcano about 55 kilometers (35 miles) from the federal capital Mexico City. The country’s second highest peak, Popocatepetl, means ‘smoking mountain’ in the indigenous Nahuatl language.
The distance between Popocatepetl and Mexico city is 43 miles, so the airport was about eight miles away. This was just a burp, but volcanic activity is increasing. Continuing..
Popocatepetl follow up, File Under: Uh-Oh.. The Extinction Protocol. Excerpts:
Residents at the foot of Mexico’s Popocatepetl volcano no longer sleep soundly since the towering mountain roared back into action over a week ago, spewing out a hail of rocks, steam and ash. “We close our eyes, but we don’t sleep much. In the past, there was only smoke but this time it’s stronger,” said Francisco Jimenez, who lives in the nearby town of Xalitzintla in central Mexico, 55km from Mexico City. The volcano, Mexico’s second highest peak at 5 452m, started rumbling and spurting high clouds of ash and steam on 13 April, provoking the authorities to raise the alert to level five on a seven-point scale. The alert extended a security cordon around the volcano but stopped short of starting evacuations of about 685 000 residents from nearby communities. Over the weekend, residents watched as Popocatepetl, which means “smoking mountain” in the indigenous Nahuatl language, lived up to its name, spouting glowing rocks and shaking the ground beneath their feet.
And:
Popocatepetl is an explosive volcano that can suddenly erupt at tremendous force, thrusting out rocks and ashes at large distances. That kind of volcano can be more dangerous than those releasing only flowing lava. Residents say they are used to the permanent threat of the volcano but many say the new activity makes them nervous again. “We’ve been watching out for many nights, waiting to see what happens,” said Gabino Santibanez, mayor of San Pedro Benito Juarez, a small town only 9km from the glowing crater. Locals said that most frightening was the unusual rumbling coming from the volcano, which many compared to an aircraft turbine. “We’ve never heard a noise like it,” said Maximiliano Grajales. About 4.5 million people live on the outskirts of the volcano, which lies at the crossroads of the states of Puebla, Morelos and Mexico.
Mexico City on alert as Popocatepetl volcano spews rock and ash The Telegraph/UK. Excerpts:
Eruptions from the Popocatepetl volcano began to grow larger a week ago as columns of ash began pouring from more than 60 openings in the 17,886 foot high cone.
On Friday a low pitched roar and rolling towers of ash and steam were spewed out as some of the pressure built up inside the magma chamber escaped.
Glowing rock fragments have also been sighted more than 3,000 feet down the slopes of the volcano.
Mexico's National Disaster Prevention Centre have now raised the volcano alert level to "yellow stage three" – the third highest level.
Incandescent materials, ash and smoke are spewed from the Popocatepetl Volcano (AFP)
Tens of thousands of people live in the farming villages on the volcano's flanks while roughly 25 million people live within a 60 mile radius.
It is feared the airborne ash could cause havoc with Mexico City's busy airport and a large eruption of Popo, as it is commonly known, could see ash falling on Mexico City itself, around 50 miles away. 43 miles southeast, actually.
25 million people within 60 miles. That's quite a lot of people to evacuate safely and efficiently, provided Popo really pops. Yes, there have been many false alarms, and right now there's still no reason to expect the worst. Still, this seems to be the year where everything breaks loose. When it comes to Everyday Life and Earth Events, past context doesn't really apply anymore.
Meanwhile, worried countenances cast wary glances southeast, many breathing silent prayers, hoping the monster calms down, one more time.. Popocatepetl continues belching smoke, and its intermittent rumbling comforts no one.
Posts
