A powerful explosion was heard during the night time on Wednesday by town residents as the Popocatepetl volcano erupted in Mexico.
In a statement by Mexico’s National Centre for Disaster Prevention, the eruption took place at 01:46 local time (07:46 GMT) as it sent incandescent fragments out over 1.5 kilometres (0.9 miles) from the crater and spewed an ash column reaching about three kilometres (1.8 miles) in height, which the winds blew over northeast from the volcano.
Afterwards the volcano presented spasmodic tremors again sending incandescent fragments out over 500 metres (1,640 feet) on the north-eastern side of the volcano which were again blown away in that direction.
The alert level for the towering volcano continues in yellow phase three, on orders from the country’s Interior Ministry. It is the third-highest warning on the centre’s seven-step scale.
This change in activity in the 5,450-meter (17,900-foot) volcano has placed authorities on alert.
Civil Protection authorities are keeping a security radius of 12 kilometres (7.4 miles) in place, diverting traffic in surrounding towns such as Santiago Xalitzintla.
Town resident, Jose Luis Vazquez, said they continue with life as normal but remain alert to possible evacuations.
The lava dome of Popocatepetl, some 50 miles to the southeast of the capital, may expand and continue to unleash increasingly powerful explosions of ash and lava, the centre warned.