National
Millions in Mexico warned to prepare for evacuation as Popocatépetl volcano spews ash
Mexico City (CNN) — Millions of people in Mexico have been warned to prepare for a possible evacuation after increased activity from the country’s most dangerous active volcano, which has been spewing ash into several nearby towns since last week, according to authorities.
Ash from Popocatépetl volcano, which is in a central part of the country, has delayed flights in Mexico City and led authorities to close schools in dozens of municipalities.
Some 25 million people live in a 60-mile radius of the volcano, which is about 45 miles southeast of Mexico City and located between the states of Morelos, Puebla and state of Mexico.
On Sunday, the National Civil Protection Coordination (CNPC) increased its volcanic threat level to “yellow phase 3,” which calls on some 3 million people who live in towns and villages adjacent to the volcano to stay alert and prepare for a possible evacuation.
The CNPC also warned of greater volcanic activity and the dispersion of ash into several nearby towns at high speed. It also recommended that residents nearby avoid outdoor activities.
“In the case of Mexico City, the risk is ash fall. We are prepared for that scenario and we know what to do. Let’s stay alert,” Mexico city’s mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said in a tweet on Sunday.
Mexico City’s Benito Juárez International Airport (AICM) was temporarily closed on Saturday and some flights were delayed on Monday due to the presence of volcanic ash, according to airport authorities.
“Air travelers may continue to experience additional flight delays, cancellations, or temporary airport closures with little or no warning,” the US embassy in Mexico said, with the airport also issuing a similar alert.
State authorities have also suspended in-person classes in schools across 40 municipalities in Puebla, five municipalities in the state of Mexico and seven in Tlaxcala and said the classes will be held remotely.
The US embassy in Mexico issued a warning on Saturday saying the Popocatépetl volcano “has exhibited increased activity since May 15, registering hundreds of tremors and smoke and ash exhalations.”
The embassy also recommended people to not travel within a 7.5 mile radius of the volcano, citing warnings from local authorities.
The volcano had been dormant for decades until it erupted in 1994. Since then, its rumblings have become a part of daily life for residents.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
By: Pristine Villarreal
May 22, 2023
Link Copied To Clipboard!
Latest Instagram Posts
35
Watch the Palm Springs Pride Parade LIVE this Sunday at 10 AM on NBC Palm Springs’ Facebook and YouTube channels! Join hosts Thalia Hayden and NBC Palm Springs News Director David Reese for all the parade excitement, live from Palm Springs. Can’t make it in person? Celebrate with us online! Livestream sponsored by @DAP Health #PalmSpringsPride #PrideParade #NBCPalmSprings
21
Honor our veterans and get moving at the 3rd Annual Indio Veterans Day 5K & 10K Run! Join the community Wednesday, November 11, at the Empire Polo Club for a morning of fitness, fun and recognition of the men and women who have served our country. Register now and save $10 on your registration fee with promo code NBCUniversal. See you at the starting line! #Indio #VeteransDay #VeteransDay5K #VeteransDay10K #CoachellaValley #NBCPalmSprings
57
CNN’s Annie Grayer goes inside a ballot-counting center in Mississippi as absentee ballots are counted. Democratic candidate Scott Colom and the state’s incumbent Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith are locked in a razor-thin Senate race following Tuesday’s election.
775
🚨 TWO DISTURBING CRIME CASES IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY. A Palm Desert woman accused of beating her husband to death with a flagpole is expected back in court this morning. Vicky Kim, 65, faces a murder charge after her husband was found dead outside their home at the Enclave condominiums. PLUS: A weekend stabbing in downtown Palm Springs leads to an attempted murder arrest. Police say 38-year-old Francisco Elias stabbed a man in the neck and upper body following two altercations before fleeing in a white Mercedes. The victim has been released from the hospital, and Elias is now behind bars. 🚔 Get the latest on both cases. #CoachellaValley #PalmDesert #PalmSprings #CrimeNews #BreakingNews #LocalNews
22
☕️ Social Time with Thalia & Jerry. Will you go to the pride parade this year?
85
After the Democrats flipped control of both the House and the Senate, victorious candidates celebrated their historic wins in victory speeches across the country.
147
Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms is the first Black female governor in US history.
624
In July, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was killed in Houston by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in a traffic stop as part of a “targeted operation,” ICE said. Voters are now leaving their “I Voted” stickers at his memorial site.
77
The Cathedral City Hot Air Balloon Festival, presented by Agua Caliente Casinos, returns November 20–22, 2026, for a weekend of hot air balloons, live music and entertainment. Saturday, November 21: 6:30 PM – Robin Thicke performs live. 7:45 PM – Festival drone light show. Tickets and more information at www.cchotairballoonfest.com. #CathedralCity #HotAirBalloonFestival #RobinThicke #AguaCalienteCasinos #CoachellaValley #PalmSprings #DroneLightShow #NBCPalmSprings
31
☕️ Social Time with Thalia & Jerry. Do you do your holiday shopping early or late?