Mexican Volcano Spews Ash

MEXICO CITY —  Mexico’s Popocatepetl volcano stirred from a quiet slumber Monday, spewing tall plumes of ash and causing several small earthquakes.

The volcano had quieted down since its eruption early last week, its strongest in more than a millennium. Scientists have warned that more strong eruptions are possible.

On Monday, Social Development Secretary Josefina Vazquez joined evacuated residents for breakfast in a shelter and said the government has set aside 900 tons of food--enough to feed evacuees for a month.

Popocatepetl belched ash and vapor Monday, with one plume reaching nearly two miles high. The recent eruptions have dusted nearby villages with ash but had little impact on Mexico City, 40 miles to the northwest.

On Saturday afternoon, the volcano grumbled loudly, then sent up clouds and rock, scaring the few residents who had returned to spend Christmas at their homes near the nearly 18,000-foot volcano.

Scientists have said that energy building inside the mountain will likely cause more eruptions. They have urged 40,000 people living within eight miles of the volcano to stay away.

Most have remained in shelters, where they celebrated Christmas with pinatas and turkey dinners. For many, it was the second time in six years that the volcano had forced them to spend the holidays away from their homes.

The last evacuation occurred in December 1994, shortly after the volcano awoke after nearly 70 years of inactivity. But the mountain produced little activity during that evacuation, and soldiers sent into the area to guard houses often ended up looting them.