Cleaners sweep volcanic ash from a plaza in the city of Atlixco, in the state of Puebla.Hilda Rios (EFE)
The Ministry of National Defense (Sedena) has assigned 6,000 Army troops to assist more than 125,000 people living in the municipalities of Puebla, Tlaxcala, Morelos and the State of Mexico, near the Popocatépetl volcano if an evacuation is necessary. At the moment, the activity of the volcano remains in Yellow Phase 3, which does not require the population to leave their homes.
The Secretary of Civil Protection, Laura Velázquez Alzúa, clarified that at the moment there is no emergency, but that due to the passage of the Yellow Alert from Phase 2 to Phase 3 it is necessary for the authorities to review the evacuation routes and shelters for the population. He also indicated that all civil protection systems at the state and local level must take extreme precautions.
Early Monday morning remained a constant tremor, emission of ash and water vapor. The National Center for Disaster Prevention (Cenapred) reported that on Monday morning the exit of incandescent material continues with a column of smoke 1,600 meters high, heading east - northwest. The city of Puebla has been suffering from poor air quality for 24 hours in a row due to a high concentration of PM-10 and PM-2.5 particles. With levels that double and triple what is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said in the morning conference on Monday that Civil Protection is monitoring the activity of the volcano 24 hours a day and that the agency is in charge of coordinating a surveillance commission.
For the third consecutive day, Mexico City International Airport (AICM) and Felipe Angeles Airport (AIFA) have canceled dozens of flights due to the fall of ash from the volcano. Aeromexico has canceled 50 flights and Viva Aerobús recommends its users in networks to be aware of updates through their communication channels.
Puebla, Tlaxcala and the State of Mexico have suspended classes in public and private schools due to the fall of ash and the activity of the Popocatépetl volcano. Local authorities have reported that 40 municipalities in Puebla, five in the State of Mexico and seven in Tlaxcala will not have face-to-face classes, due to the activation of phase 3 of the yellow traffic light due to the Popocatepetl volcanic alert. The Ministry of Education (SEP) reported that classes will be taught remotely through the Aprende en Casa platform, which is offered through television, internet and YouTube.
The authorities have asked the entire educational community to follow the instructions of the National Coordination of Civil Protection, the Federal Health Secretariat and the educational authorities of the Affected States.
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