Footage shows the Popocatepetl volcano in Mexico erupting, sending ash and smoke more than 2,500 meters into the sky. The video captured on March 29 shows how the erupting volcano, just 35 miles from Mexico City and 20 miles from Puebla, sent ash and plumes of smoke more than 1.5 miles high. . The country's National Centre for Disaster Prevention (CENAPRED) warned residents to stay away from Popocatépetl after hundreds of eruptions were recorded in just 24 hours. Officials also issued a yellow alert - one level below red alerts for evacuation - and put in place a seven mile security radius. More than 26 million people live within 60 miles of the volcano and could be affected by further eruptions. The CENAPRED said in a statement: ''In the last 24 hours, through the Popocatepetl volcano monitoring systems, 61 exhalations were identified, accompanied by steam and gas, and a few exhalations with a slight amount of ash. "An explosion was also recorded today at 06:50 h, which generated a 2.5 km column with moderate ash content, which was dispersed to the southeast, and fragments were observed on the slopes of the volcano at an approximate distance of 1000 m. CENAPRED emphasises that people SHOULD NOT go near the volcano, especially near the crater, due to the hazard caused by ballistic fragments and in case of heavy rains leave the bottoms of ravines by the danger of landslides and debris flows. The monitoring of the Popocatépetl volcano is carried out continuously 24 hours a day. Any change in activity will be reported in a timely manner. The level of the Volcanic Warning Semap