The Popocatepetl vulcan (which in nahuatl language means "smoking mountain") has been spewing ash and molten rock for a week in Mexico city, situated 50 miles away from the centre.

The first eruption of the vulcan occurred 14.000 years ago and also consisted on abundant spewings of ash and pumice stone raining on a wide area around the vulcan.

The last eruption of the vulcan is reported to have occurred between the years 800 and 1000 and according to the Peakware Mountain Encyclopedia, the last eruption in this century occurred in 1947 although other minor eruptions also took place in 1992 and in 1994.