Volcano in Mexico Forces Evacuations

The Colima volcano in western Mexico erupted Saturday, sending a plume of smoke four miles into the air and forcing the evacuation of nearly 300 people from two states.

The eruption, which happened at 12:45 p.m., spewed ash for two hours from the volcano, located 110 miles south of Guadalajara.

Officials evacuated 135 residents from the town of Yerbabuena in Colima state, where the volcano is located, and 160 people from the towns of Juan Barragan, Los Machos, Borbollan, Agostadero and Durazno in neighboring Jalisco state, said civil defense official Javier Velasco. Velasco said 32 people in Yerbabuena did not want to leave their houses, “but we’re trying to convince them of the danger that the situation represents.”

The area was in a state of “red alert” during the evacuations, but activity in the volcano has decreased since, Velasco said, adding that he had not received any reports of injuries.

Army personnel patrolled the hillsides to prevent people from approaching the evacuated area.

Velasco said the force of the eruption was similar to those that shook the 13,000-foot volcano on May 10 and Feb. 10 of this years and Nov. 21, 1988.

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