Volcano Close to Mexico City and Puebla Begins to Stir

Popocatepetl Volcano Awakens, Leaving Mexico Cities on Edge

A volcano which has been dormant for almost 11 years has begun spewing ash as Mexico City and Puebla fear the worst.

MEXICO CITY – The Popocatépetl volcano south of Mexico City is shooting blasts of ash from its crater.

Mexico's national disaster prevention agency says the volcano has spewed ash more than a half mile (a kilometer) into the sky four times Tuesday. It says there is a possibility ash could fall onto Mexico City overnight.

The agency is urging people to stay at least 7 miles from the crater.

The 17,886-foot volcano is about 40 miles southeast of the capital and only 25 miles east of Puebla.

The last time the volcano erupted was in 2000.

The name Popocatépetl comes from the Nahuatl words for "it smokes" and "mountain."

This article is based on the Associated Press.