Mexico Volcano Has Erupted 13 Times in Past Day, Ash Causing Flight Delays

Mexico's National Disaster Prevention Center (CENAPRED) has issued a "yellow phase 2" alert, asking people to stay away from the volcano

The Popocatépetl volcano in the center of Mexico has erupted 13 times in the past day, causing the country to experience severe flight delays.

The volcano is located about 45 miles southeast of Mexico City, and about 25 million people live within 60 miles of it, according to the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service.

Mexico's National Disaster Prevention Center (CENAPRED) has issued a "yellow phase 2" alert, asking people to stay away from the volcano and its center "due to the danger posed by the fall of incandescent fragments."

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"Do not try to climb the volcano, as explosions occur that throw incandescent fragments, as has been seen recently. Respect the exclusion radius of 12 kilometers from the crater, being within this area is not safe. In case of heavy rain, stay away from the bottom of ravines due to the danger of mud and debris flows," the alert reads.

Benito Juarez International Airport, located in Mexico City, announced on X, formerly Twitter, that 22 national and international airline flights had been canceled after ash was found in some of the planes during safety checks on Tuesday.

"Management personnel and specialized teams remain on alert and are evaluating the ash fall conditions," their tweet reads. The announcement came after the airport had warned its travelers in an earlier tweet that "some" airlines had decided to cancel operations.

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"If you have a flight scheduled for today, we recommend keeping updated with your airline for its status. We will keep you posted," their initial tweet advised.

Travel was also interrupted in the city of Puebla "due to the gas and fumes coming from the 'Popo,'" per the Associated Press.

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"Airborne volcanic ash can be a serious hazard to aviation even hundreds of miles from an eruption," explains the American Geosciences Institute on its website, adding, "When ingested into a jet engine, volcanic ash erodes turbine blades, and the melted ash can adhere to critical parts, causing engine failure."

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