By Traci Carl, Associated Press
MEXICO CITY
- Mexico's Popocatepetl volcano spewed tall plumes of ash and
caused several small earthquakes Monday, restless again after
several days' slumber.
The volcano
had quieted down after erupting early last week, its strongest
in 1,200 years. 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
(pronounced poh-poh-kah-TEH-peh-til) belched ash and vapor on
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
incandescent rock, scaring the few residents who had returned
to spend Christmas at their homes near the 17,886-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 robbing them.
Scientists
say the last catastrophic eruption occurred in the year 800, sending
mud flows into nearby Puebla Valley, inundating pyramids and forcing
people to move from the area.
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