A Mexican volcano erupted late Wednesday night, and the exact moment of the natural disaster was caught on camera.
The active volcano, which is called Popocatepetl and located in the south central region of Mexico, erupted massively and sent a nearly two-mile radius of ash and smoke into the surrounding area. (RELATED: Take A Minute Out Of Your Day To Watch The Craziest Videos Of The Hawaiian Volcanic Eruption)
WATCH:
VOLCANIC ERUPTION: Nighttime footage shows the dramatic explosion of Mexico’s Popocatepetl volcano, which sent ash plumes into the sky over San Nicolas de los Ranchos. https://t.co/58qMw3wWVm pic.twitter.com/i9iGEO48ff
— ABC News (@ABC) January 23, 2019
Approximately 380,000 people live within 15 miles of the volcano. Residents were instructed to close their windows and cover their faces with wet cloths to prevent breathing difficulties as the ash settles.
Popocatepetl rising above downtown Atlixco. Mostly quiet after a busy night. Just an occasional “exhalation”. https://t.co/IDeDT93TKc pic.twitter.com/fGqRUux2rc
— Annette Sanchez Baesel (@abaesel2) January 24, 2019
The Popocatepetl (Don Goyo el chino) volcano. Beautiful, amazing and dangerous as always ….. pic.twitter.com/AilyF8JqJJ
— Roberto Aguirre (@marktmeaning) January 24, 2019
At 17,887 feet high with a crater of 2,952 feet wide, Popocatepetl is considered one of the top 10 most dangerous volcanoes in the world.