Popocatepetl Volcano: Video Captures Eruption Of Active Volcano Crater Near Mexico City

Video of Mexico’s erupting Popocatepetl volcano has surfaced after local TV footage showed large plumes of smoke rising from the mountain, which is in the state of Puebla.

Reports indicate that the volcano has remained active since last week and has registered 39 exhalations of low to moderate magnitude over the past 24 hours, emitting water vapor, gas and ash.

The alert level for the Popocatepetl volcano, located some 80 km (50 miles) to the southeast of Mexico City, was raised to yellow phase three on Saturday. It is the third-highest caution level on the center's seven-step scale and warns a change in activity in the 5,450 meter (17,900 foot) volcano could provoke big explosions capable of sending incandescent fragments over considerable distances.

The volcano is about 40 miles from Mexico City airport, which is a few miles east of the city center. Some 25 million people live within a 60-mile radius of the volcano.

Just last week, eruptions from the Popocatepetl volcano prompted the cancellation of more than 40 flights after it spewed a mile-high (1.5 kilometer-high) plume of ash that drifted over large parts of Mexico City. The volcano also spewed a hot shower of glowing rock around its crater. According to local media reports quoting the National Center for Disaster Prevention, El Popo, as it is commonly known, has emitted small eruptions of ash almost daily since a round of eruptive activity began in 1994.

Mexico's Popocatepetl Volcano Erupts [VIDEO]