Large parts of Mexico are covered in dust as the Popocatepetl volcano continues to spew ash

About three million people have been ordered to evacuate as large parts of Mexico have been covered in dust from the Popocatépetl volcano, which has also slowed flights and forced schools to close.

The country’s National Civil Protection Coordination raised the threat level to “yellow phase 3,” which ordered evacuations and warned people in the vicinity to prepare for the possibility of getting away on their own.

The next step, a red alert, will lead to mandatory evacuations and dozens of shelters have already been opened in areas around the crater as a precaution.

About 25 million people live within 100 kilometers of the Popocatépetl volcano, just 70 kilometers southeast of Mexico City.

For more than a week, the 17,797-meter mountain – affectionately known as ‘El Popo’ – has become increasingly explosive, spewing large plumes of gas, ash and glowing rock into the air.

The activity prompted the Mexican government to raise alert levels and close schools in dozens of municipalities in three states.

“You hear it more at night,” says Violeta Fuentes, 39, who lives in the suburbs of Santiago Xalitzintla with her husband and two children, ages 9 and 12.

That’s also when they can see the glow of the crater. “Last night it turned off and on a few times.”

Fuentes said she was a little nervous about it “because you can see (the volcano) doesn’t want to be okay anymore.”

The family was concerned about the impact the falling ash would have on their crops. Her father-in-law’s corn across the street was already in it.

However, the alarms and preparations are old-fashioned for the residents in the region.

Job Amalco, a driver, said it was normal. “It doesn’t scare us. We are spectators of what nature gives us,” he said proudly.

But fear began to build in some.

The country’s National Coordination for Civil Defense raised the threat level to “yellow phase 3,” which ordered evacuations and warned people in the vicinity to prepare for the possibility of getting away on their own

Steam and ash coming out of the Popocatepetl volcano, after an increase in volcanic activity, as seen from the city of Santiago Xalizintla, Mexico

Police patrol the streets as ash from the Popocatepetl volcano covers the streets in Santiago Xalitzintla, Mexico, Monday

“It’s worrying, especially because of the kids, because you don’t know if there’s going to be a huge explosion or a small one,” said Claudia de la Cruz, 27, who has two children, ages 3 and 5.

Her husband climbs the flanks of the volcano every day to collect firewood to make charcoal.

“He says it sounds like the tops are crashing down there and it’s shaking, but he’s brave for us,” she said.

As a girl, De la Cruz remembers the first time she saw the mountain glow and how the residents then had very little information.

She trusts that now with a mobile phone they know what is happening in real time.

Yet the real warning the residents heed – as it has been all her life – will be the urgent ringing of the town’s church bells. On Monday, they called as part of the exercise.

There were no signs of panic on Monday, but people were concerned about the possibility of having to evacuate and leaving homes and animals unattended.

Authorities have warned people to stay out of a 7.5-mile radius around the summit.

About 25 million people live within 100 kilometers of the Popocatépetl volcano, just 70 kilometers southeast of Mexico City

The activity prompted the Mexican government to raise alert levels and close schools in dozens of municipalities in three states

The Popocatepetl volcano spews ash and smoke as seen from the Santiago Xalitzintla community

Farmers move their mules loaded with coal, covered in ash from the volcano

Florencio de Olarte, 69, and Plácida de Aquino, 72, remember having to evacuate their home in the city center twice before, years ago.

On those occasions, “you could see[the volcano]lighting up and throwing rocks out,” Olarte said.

One of their children already wants them to come to Mexico City, but the couple won’t leave until authorities tell them to, because of their turkeys, pigs and donkeys. “We have animals and couldn’t leave them behind,” Aquino said.

“Right now there’s a lot of smoke and it’s seeping and thundering, the curtains are shaking,” Aquino said. But nothing more for now.

Volcano activity temporarily suspended flights at the capital’s two airports during the weekend.

An ash plume stretched hundreds of miles to the east on Monday, extending across Campeche Bay, according to a report from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

On Sunday, National Coordinator for Civil Protection, Laura Velázquez, said at a press conference that the traffic light-like warning system for the volcano remained at yellow, but had moved to stage 3.

Still, she said, “there is no risk to the population at this time.”

A man walks as the Popocatepetl volcano emits an ash plume in the state of Puebla

Light bulbs, ash and smoke are spewed from the Popocatepetl volcano in San Nicolas de los Ranchos

Pedestrians walk through the ash caused by the activity of Popocatepetl volcano, in the state of Puebla

In this stage, large domes develop and explode in increasing intensity, launching glowing rock into the air and pyroclastic flows down the flanks.

Velázquez said only three of the volcano’s 565 explosions since September were major, and the current activity was not the largest this century. On Monday, she supervised the exercise in Santiago Xalitzintla.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen,” she said Monday. “We are prepared for any scenario.”

The Defense Department said it was ready to activate 6,500 troops if necessary. Shelters were prepared.

About 25 million people live within a 60-mile radius, most of them in the Mexico City metropolitan area.

Popocatepetl came to life in 1994 after a decades-long dormancy and periods of greater activity from 2000 to 2003 and 2012 to 2016.