Huge volcanic explosion in Mexico captured in stunning time-lapse videoYahoo News
By Michael Walsh 4 hours ago
A mesmerizing time-lapse video shows a Mexican volcano’s explosive eruption — spewing ash high into the sky.
The Colima volcano exploded around 9:15 a.m. Wednesday and sent an ash column about 29,000 feet into the air.
More than five minutes of the vulcanian eruption, which ejects lava fragments and lots of volcanic ash, were condensed into 30 seconds for the clip.
Erik W. Klemetti, a volcanologist in Denison University's geosciences program, explains that the Colima volcano shoots out sticky lava when gases trapped inside new magma collect, causing pressure to build in the vent.
“It’s sort of like popping a champagne cork once that pressure is released,” Klemetti said in an interview with Yahoo News. "All the bubbles popping in the magma are enough to create that huge column of ash."
A small pyroclastic flow — or quick current of hot gas and rock — traveled down the mountain’s steep slope, according to Volcano Discovery.
The science site says residue from the blast drifted northeast and fell across several cities in Jalisco state.
Mario Anguiano Moreno, governor for the state of Colima, took to Twitter to assure locals that the volcano poses no threat to the population, despite the menacing appearance.
Mario Anguiano M. @gobernador_mam Follow
De acuerdo a información de @PC_Colima , no hay riesgo considerable para la población, ya que el viento aleja las cenizas al NE del estado.
10:35 AM - 21 Jan 2015
27 Retweets 10 favorites Reply Retweet
He cited the state’s civil protection unit, Unidad Estatal de Protección Civil Colima, to quell worries brought on by rumors of dangers posed by the eruption.
Rainfall turns ash that collects on the mountain into relatively frequent mudflows throughout the year, according to Klemetti.
Experts say Colima is one of Central America’s most active volcanoes, with multiple eruptions in recent weeks alone.
“This one happened to be a fairly big one for Colima on a beautiful day," Klemetti said, "which made it that much more impressive to see.”
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