Mexico raises volcano alert The Popocatepetl volcano spews a cloud of ash and steam high into the air, as seen from San Nicolas de los Ran...

Mexico raises volcano alert

The Popocatepetl volcano spews a cloud of ash and steam high into the air, as seen from San Nicolas de los Ranchos, on the outskirts of Puebla April 18, 2012. A powerful plume of steam and ash rose from the Popocatepetl volcano in central Mexico on Tuesday, prompting local schools to cancel classes and emergency teams to prepare for evacuations. Mexico's National Center for Disaster Prevention raised the alert level for the 5,450-meter (17,900-foot) Popocatepetl, which lies some 50 miles to the southeast of Mexico City, late on Monday. REUTERS

A farmer works his land as the Popocatepetl volcano spews a cloud of ash and steam high into the air in San Nicolas de los Ranchos, on the outskirts of Puebla April 18, 2012. A powerful plume of steam and ash rose from the Popocatepetl volcano in central Mexico on Tuesday, prompting local schools to cancel classes and emergency teams to prepare for evacuations. Mexico's National Center for Disaster Prevention raised the alert level for the 5,450-meter (17,900-foot) Popocatepetl, which lies some 50 miles to the southeast of Mexico City, late on Monday. REUTERS

The Popocatepetl volcano spews a cloud of ash and steam high into the air as seen from Puebla, 100 km (62 miles) east of Mexico City April 14, 2012. REUTERS

A local resident walks as the Popocatepetl volcano belches a column of steam in the Xalitzintla municipality in Puebla, located 125 km (78 miles) east of Mexico City, February 1, 2012. Civil protection officials from the Puebla government are giving evacuation training to residents of this village located 12 km (7 miles) from the Popocatepetl volcano, ahead of a possible eruption, after an increase of volcanic activity and ash eruptions have been registered recently. REUTERS

Mexican authorities raised the alert level for the Popocatepetl volcano near to Mexico City on Apr. 16 after it started spewing red-hot fragments of rock.