Mexico - October 26, 2024

The Popocatepetl volcano has erupted with unprecedented fury, sending a colossal ash cloud 9.1 km (30,000 feet) above sea level and stretching 833 km (517 miles) into the Gulf of Mexico. The latest explosion marks a dramatic escalation in activity since October 24, with continuous emissions of ash and sulfur dioxide darkening skies and raising alarms.

Volcanic unrest has been building for weeks, with the seismic network recording up to 89 daily long-period events and persistent tremors, some lasting over 13 hours. An explosive tremor episode on October 20 launched a gas-and-ash plume 2 km (6,562 feet) high, scattering incandescent material around the crater. Ashfall has already coated communities in Mexico State and Morelos, including Ozumba, Tlalmanalco, and Tlayacapan.

The eruption's intensity surged on October 25, when satellite imagery captured a dense ash plume reaching 9.8 km (32,000 feet) and extending 343 km (213 miles) into the Bay of Campeche. CENAPRED has reported thousands of minutes of tremor and dozens of ash exhalations in recent days, as the volcano’s volatile behavior shows no signs of abating. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation amid growing fears of further eruptions.