Alert level is raised in Mexico as the Popocatépetl volcano spews ash and gas

Popocatépetl is a volcano in central Mexico, which has recently shown raised activity, forcing authorities to raise alert to yellow phase 3, just one step below red, on Sunday.

The volcano is located about 45 miles southeast of Mexico City, while there are roughly 25 million people living in a 60-mile radius from it.

Last week, a large spike in eruptive intensity was observed, which continues until now. The authorities have closed nearby schools in three states, while Mexico City’s Benito Juárez International Airport was temporarily closed on Saturday, and some flights were also delayed on Monday due to volcanic ash.

The current alert level calls for about 3 million nearby residents to remain on standby for a possible evacuation order, while according to Mexico’s Defense Department, 6,500 troops are also on standby in case of emergency.

Finally, Popocatépetl had been dormant for decades, until its 1994 eruption, since which periods of raised activity have followed. The only time a red alert was issued for the volcano was in 2000.