What?
Popocatepetl
(pronounced poh-poh-kah-TEH-peh-til), is the second highest
volcano in Mexico and is a giant stratovolcano.
volcano outside Mexico City erupted in a Strombolian style. The eruption of the 17,886-foot mountain was its
biggest show in 1,200 years, when the mountain known locally
as "Popo'' filled nearby valleys with [lava].
Where?
It
lies 47 miles from Mexico City and the capital's suburbs,
which are home to 18 million people.
When?
Tuesday
19th December 2000.
Why?
Popocatepetl
is located along the Pacific
RIng of Fire.
So
what?
The
volcanoes name means means "smoking mountain'' in the Nahuatl
Indian language. The Nahua Indians have long lived on the
flanks of the volcano.
30,000
people were evacuated from villages near the mountain to
government shelters.
Authorities
warned that a major eruption of lava or intense spewing
of hot debris could possibly melt the ice cap around the
crater and send devastating mud flows or lahars that might wipe out entire villages.
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