Mexico's Colima volcano spews ash over nearby towns as hot rocks tumble down its slopes

MEXICO CITY – The Colima volcano in western Mexico has erupted, sending a column of ash about 3 miles (5 kilometers) into the air.

Mexico's federal civil defense office said Friday that ash has fallen on towns as far as 15 miles (25 kilometers) from the peak, which is also known as the Volcano of Fire. Glowing hot rock tumbled down the volcano's flanks over a mile (2 kilometers) from the crater.

The office says the eruption is much lower in intensity than ones in 2005 that forced evacuations. No injuries or evacuations were reported Friday.

The 12,533-foot (3,820-meter) volcano is 430 miles (690 kilometers) northwest of Mexico City, on the border of Colima and Jalisco states. It is one of the most active and potentially destructive volcanoes in Mexico.