Abstract:
Popocatépetl, whose name is the Aztec word for smoking man, towers above Mexico City and is North America's 2nd highest volcano. The glacier-clad stratovolcano contains a steep-walled, 250-450-meter-deep crater. The generally symmetrical volcano is modified by the sharp-peaked Ventorrillo on the northwest, a remnant of an earlier volcano. At least three previous major cones were destroyed by gravitational failure during the Pleistocene, producing massive debris-avalanche deposits south of the volcano. The modern cone was constructed in two stages. El Fraile volcano was formed prior to 10,000 years before present (BP) and was partly destroyed by three episodes of explosive activity, the last from about 5,000 to 3,800 years BP. The current summit of Popocatépetl was formed to the south of El Fraile cone by repeated lava effusions until about 1,200 years BP, after which the current, dominantly explosive phase began. Frequent historical eruptions have been recorded since the beginning of the Spanish era. Most historical eruptions were apparently mild-to-moderate Vulcanian steam and ash emissions, with larger explosive eruptions in 1519 and possibly 1663. Activity in 1920-22 produced intermittent explosive eruptions and a small lava plug in the summit crater. Minor ash clouds were also reported in 1923-24, 1933, 1942-43, and 1947. The volcano separates Mexico and Puebla Valleys, both with more than 20 million inhabitants. México City (population 18 million) and Puebla (population 2 million) are 70 and 60 kilometers from Popocatépetl.

From: Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Network's Website

Latest Earthquakes in this region (last updated: 01. January 1970:01:00 MET):

From Swiss Seismological Service:

D a t e   Time (UTC)  Location  Dep Magni.         Region


Only events with an average magnitude larger/equal than 3 are listed.
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Other source: NEIC