Angry Colima Volcano Erupts Again

Impressive column of ash erupts out of Mexico’s Colima volcano

Mexico’s Colima volcano ejected a significant column of ash and volcanic gasses into the air in the latest of a series of intermittent eruptions, that began last year.

The column rose to a height of about 2.5km above the crater, moving north-east, reported Mexico’s civil protection authorities.

In July 2015, Colima volcano was behaving “atypically,” showing signs similar to a major eruption in 1913, said Mexico’s interior ministry.

Located in the south-western Mexican state of Colima, the 3,839-m volcano, aka Volcán de Fuego [“Volcano of Fire,”] is part of the Colima Volcanic Complex (CVC), comprising of Volcán de Colima, Nevado de Colima and the El Cantaro.

Colima is one of the most active volcanoes in Mexico. It is also potentially the most hazardous volcano in the country, with more than 300,000 people living within a 40-km radius of the mountain, and a major eruption could affect about half a million people.

The July eruption forced the evacuation of about 800 residents within a 12-km radius of the volcano. The authorities also closed the airport in the state of Colima, due to the large amounts of volcanic ash which fell in the area.

Eruptions have occurred in 1986, 1991, 1998–1999 and continually since 2001, with the most recent events occurring on November 21, 2014, January 10, 21 and 25, and July 10, 2015.