Overall Green alert Volcanic eruption for Popocatepetl
in Mexico

Event summary

GREEN alert: The Popocatepetl Volcanic eruption is unlikely to require external humanitarian assistance based on the exposed population and coping capacity.

GDACS ID VO 1000070
Name: Popocatepetl (341090)
Lat/Lon: 19.02 , -98.62
Event Date: 23 May 2023 UTC
Exposed Population 30km: About 640000 people within 30km
Exposed Population 100km: About 27990000 people within 100km
Max Volc. Explosivity Index VEI: 5
Population Exposure Index PEI: 5
Inserted at: 23 May 2023 06:48 UTC

GDACS Score

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Virtual OSOCC
Meteo assessment
Satellite products
Analytical products
Mexico - Volcanic eruption (ECHO 19 May 2023)Fri, 19 May 2023 11:55

  • Over the past couple of days, explosive eruptions have been recorded at Popocatépetl volcano, located in the States of Puebla, Morelos, and Mexico in central Mexico.
  • Following this activity, several municipalities in Puebla State have been affected by the ash-fall and classes have been suspended on 18 May. On 17 May, the Puebla Civil Protection authorities opened four evacuation shelters for people who need them, in addition to three schools and one sports unit in San Pedro Cholula and Huejotzingo.
  • The activity of the volcano is still ongoing. On 18 May, 154 exhalations accompanied by water vapour, volcanic gases and ash, and one minor explosion have been registered.
Mexico - Volcanic eruption (ECHO 23 May 2023)Tue, 23 May 2023 10:05

  • The activity of Popocatépetl volcano, located in the States of Puebla, Morelos, and Mexico (central Mexico) is still ongoing and the authorities raised the yellow alert from Phase 2 to Phase 3.
  • On 22 May, two moderate volcanic explosions have been recorded by Mexico's National Center for Prevention of Disasters (CENAPRED). Ash fall has been reported across more than 15 Municipalities in Puebla State, one in Mexico State and another in Tlaxcala State.
  • According to UN OCHA, following the increase in the activity of the volcano, the Puebla Civil Protection authorities have prepared 35 shelters with the capacity for 22,000 people in case of evacuations since 17 May. In addition, classes have been suspended in 40 municipalities of the State.
  • The Civil Protection of Puebla State reports that on 22 May at 22.51 UTC, the Puebla International Airport suspended the flights due to ash-fall presence in the airstrips.
Detailed event map. European Union, 2024. Map produced by EC-JRC.
The boundaries and the names shown on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the European Union.

Updates on volcanic activity (Smithsonian)

The Smithsonian/USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report provides information about global volcanism on a weekly basis. Latest Popocatepetl report has been published on 17 May 2023 08:34.
CENAPRED reported that there were 127-281 daily steam, gas, and ash emissions and minor-to-moderate explosions recorded at Popocat?petl during 9-16 May. Plumes mostly drifted SE, ESE, and ENE. On 9 May minor explosions were recorded at 1141, 2009, and 2310, and on 10 May moderate explosions were recorded at 0152 and 0316. Ashfall was reported in Tlalmanalco (30 km NW) and Tetela del Volc?n (20 km SW) in Morelos during 9-10 May. On 11 May minor explosions were recorded at 0135, 0215, and 1621, while moderate explosions were recorded at 0526, 0811, 0838, 1601, and 1646. Minor explosions occurred at 1318 and 1452 on 12 May. On 13 May minor explosions occurred at 0012, 0805, and 2146, and a moderate explosion occurred at 1012. Ashfall was reported in the municipalities of Nealtican (20 km E), Huejotzingo (21 km E), and Domingo Arenas (20 km NE). On 14 May minor explosions were recorded at 0605, 0711, 0831, 1413, 1439, and 2312; moderate explosions were recorded at 1253, 1444, 1608, and 1941. On 15 May the network detected minor explosions at 0033 and 0051, and moderate explosions at 0352, 0512, 0617, 0852, 1051, 1232, and 1613. Minor amounts of ash fell in the municipalities of Puebla (43 km E) and Atlixco (24 km SE) and moderate amounts fell in municipalities near the volcano to the S. Weather clouds prevented views on 16 May. According to the Washington VAAC daily ash plumes were identified in satellite images rising 6.1-7.3 km (20,000-24,000 ft) a.s.l. (0.7-1.9 km above the crater rim) and drifting E and SE. The Alert Level remained at Yellow, Phase Two (the middle level on a three-color scale). CENAPRED urged people to respect the exclusion radius of 12 km and to not ascend the volcano. Sources: Centro Nacional de Prevencion de Desastres (CENAPRED),Washington Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC)
See the detail here

Latest media headlines

une semaine d’actualités en images 5/27/2023 4:21:00 AM.

Explosion lumineuse dans le ciel ? Un feu d’artifice très festif ? Non, il s’agit bien de l’éruption d’un volcan mexicain au nom improbable : Popocatepetl, qui gronde et crache de la lave. Au Royaume-Uni, éruption, mais dans la colère cette
...(more)
Photo Hebdo : une semaine d’actualité en images Vendredi 26 avril, le .. 5/26/2023 9:51:00 PM.

Explosion lumineuse dans le ciel ? Feu d’artifice très festif ? Non, il s’agit bien de l’éruption d’un volcan mexicain au nom improbable : le Popocatepetl, qui gronde et crache de la lave. Au Royaume-Uni, éruption, mais de colère cette fois
...(more)
Meteo Cronaca Diretta: (Video) Messico, fumo e cenere dal vulcano Popo.. 5/26/2023 6:47:00 PM.

Agenzia Immagini spettacolari di fumo e lava SAN PAOLO, 23 MAG – Le autorità messicane hanno elevato al livello 3 (su 4) l’allerta per le attività del vulcano Popocatépetl… Le autorità messicane hanno elevato al livello 3 (su 4) l'allert
...(more)
Messico. Allerta gialla per l'eruzione del vulcano Popocatépetl | Radi.. 5/25/2023 1:39:00 PM.

In agitazione un'aerea metropolitana in cui vivono 22 milioni di persone. Non si abbassa il livello di allerta in Messico dove l’attività del vulcano Popocatepetl continua a preoccupare e a tenere in agitazione un’area metropolitana in cui
...(more)

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Estimated casualties (PAGER)

USGS estimates the number of casualties for each earthquake for the Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response (PAGER) product.
The graph shows the current fatalities estimate.

Exposed population

Data, images, links, services and documents

For this events, GDACS has links to information from the following sources: EC-JRC (32), (2), INGV (2), DesInventar (1), WMO (1), INFORM (2), JSR (1),