Popocatépetl volcano.Photo:Artur Widak/NurPhoto via AP
Artur Widak/NurPhoto via AP
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 theNational Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service.
“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 alertreads.
Benito Juarez International Airport, located in Mexico City, announced onX,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.
View of Popocatépetl volcano.Artur Widak/NurPhoto via AP
“If you have a flight scheduled for today, we recommend keeping updated with your airline for its status. We will keep you posted,” theirinitial tweet advised.
Travel was also interrupted in the city of Puebla “due to the gas and fumes coming from the ‘Popo,'” per theAssociated Press.
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“Airborne volcanic ash can be a serious hazard to aviation even hundreds of miles from an eruption,” explains theAmerican Geosciences Instituteon 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.”
source: people.com
