This is the terrifying moment a vast cloud of fumes and ash blow through a live volcano in Mexico.
Officials have warned thrill seekers and locals to stay away from the giant Popocatepetl volcano for fear of showers of red-hot rocks and mudslides.
Footage of the peak shows the volcano’s massive dome and 400-metre crater, with smoke rising up to form a large cloud above it.
The volcano is so large it straddles three central Mexican states – Puebla, Morelos, and Mexico in central Mexico.
Now experts have issued a warning telling people of the danger of erupting “ballistic” rocks.
Newsflash obtained a statement from the Centro Nacional de Prevencion de Desastres (CENAPRED; Mexico’s National Centre for Prevention of Disasters) dated 28th January saying: “Scientific and technical personnel carried out an overflight to observe the morphological conditions of the volcano.
“The CENAPRED urges people not to approach the volcano and especially the crater, due to the danger of falling ballistic fragments.”
They added: “The monitoring of the Popocatépetl Volcano is carried out continuously 24 hours a day. Any change in activity will be reported in a timely manner.”
The Mexican authorities also said that they had witnessed significant volcanic activity.
They said: “In the last 24 hours, through the monitoring systems of the Popocatépetl volcano, 165 exhalations accompanied by water vapour, other volcanic gases and ash were detected.
“Additionally, 139 minutes of tremors and 3 minor explosions were registered yesterday at 10:14 p.m. and today at 04:51 and 05:21 p.m.”
They said that their teams had flown over the volcano to observe it and that experts were working with the National Guard to protect local inhabitants from “the colossus”.
They also said that the inner crater rim measures about 390 to 410 metres in diameter.
They also issued a stark warning to thrill seekers thinking about getting close to the active volcano.
They said: “The CENAPRED emphatically reiterates the recommendation not to ascend to the crater of the volcano since there is a possibility of explosions, as has been seen on several occasions in the past, which imply the emission of incandescent fragments and in case of heavy rains, move away of the bottoms of ravines due to the danger of mud and debris flows.”
