The Colima Volcano erupted twice on Thursday (August 20) morning, spewing ash and smoke more than 3 kilometres (1.86 miles) into the air.
Located in the southwestern Mexican state of Colima, the Fire Volcano’s first eruption occurred at 8:00 am local time (1300 GMT) and the second at 9:20 am (1420 GMT).
The volcano has been exhibiting activity since July 9. Over the last month, nearby villages have been blanketed with thick coats of ash, prompting evacuations.
Officially known as the Colima Volcano, it was previously active in January and February of 2015 and is part of the Pacific’s Ring of Fire Mexico contains over 3,000 volcanos but only 14 are considered active.
Major eruptions have included the 1953 eruption of the Paricutin Volcano in Michoacan, the 1982 eruption of Tacana Volcano in Chiapas and the 1986 eruption of the Colima Volcano.
The Colima Volcano has erupted more than 40 times since the 16th century and local authorities have an emergency plan that includes continuous observation of the volcano and mandatory evacuations, if needed.
