Popocatépetl: Evacuation warnings as Mexican volcano erupts

Millions of people in Mexico have been told they may need to leave for safety after recent activity from the country's Popocatépetl volcano.

The volcano has been spewing gas, ash and molten rock over the last week and hundreds of tremors have also been recorded.

Popocatépetl, which is in central Mexico, is considered to be one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world because of its location.

Around 25 million people live within a 60-mile radius of the mountain.

What are the Mexican volcano warnings?

The Mexican government raised the warning level for the volcano over the weekend to what's known as yellow phase three, just one step below a red alert.

The yellow phase three warning currently in place means that people should "remain alert and prepare for a possible evacuation," according to the warning system developed by Mexico's National Disaster Prevention Center.

Flights going out from Benito Juarez airport have been affected by the volcanic activity, with recent flights cancellations and suspensions

People are being encouraged to stay alert as they may be required to leave the area at short notice if the warning level is raised to red, and a number of shelters have already been opened in areas nearby.

Lots of schools have been closed as a result of the recent volcanic activity and flights have also been been affected, with cancellations and delays.

The alert for Popocatepetl volcano was raised to yellow phase three

Mexico City's two main airports were shut temporarily on Saturday because of the ash spewing from the volcano.

Mexico's president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador also announced over 7,000 troops had been deployed to prepare for a possible mass evacuation on Monday in response to the current volcanic activity.

What do we know about Popocatépetl?

The volcano was dormant for several decades before 1994

Popocatépetl is located about 43 miles southeast of Mexico City, which is Mexico's most populated city.

Its name means "smokey mountain" in the indigenous Náhuatl language.

It's well over 5,000 metres high, making it the second tallest volcano in Mexico, and it's also the country's second most active.

The volcano had been inactive for more than 70 years, before it erupted for the first time in decades back in 1994.

Since then, Popocatépetl has erupted a number of times.