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Volcano Near Mexico City Becomes More Active

Posted by Soulskill on from the danger-will-robinson dept.

benfrog writes "Popocatépetl, a volcano that sits 34 miles east of Mexico City, has begun a series of small eruptions. It's feared that larger eruptions would not only endanger people within range of its explosions, but disrupt life in Mexico City with ash clouds. 'People in the village of Xalitzintla said they were awakened by a window-rattling series of eruptions. Mexico’s National Disaster Prevention Center said one string of eruptions ended in the early morning, then the volcano started up again at 5:05 a.m., with at least 12 eruptions in two hours.' More than 30 million people live within sight of the volcano."

9 of 114 comments (clear)

  1. Well by masternerdguy · · Score: 4, Funny

    Must be all the tacos.

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  2. Re:See, this is why... by Quiet_Desperation · · Score: 4, Funny

    But I can keep my volcano based supervillain lair, right?

  3. Earthquake link? by Sooner+Boomer · · Score: 5, Interesting
    There have been numerous large earthquakes along the Pacific coast just West of Mexico City in the past few weeks. I wonder if/how the two might be related?

    http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Maps/region/N_America.php

    Shows 4.3 and 5.1 in Central America in the past day...

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    Chaos maximizes locally around me.
    1. Re:Earthquake link? by ColdWetDog · · Score: 4, Informative

      There are always magnitude 2 - 6 earthquakes around the Pacific Rim - that's why it's called the 'ring of fire'. So yes, it's related, but pretty much business as usual.

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  4. Re:See, this is why... by mooingyak · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...we need to move away from volcano-generated electricity, and decommission all volcanos near population centers immediately.

    No no no. The problem is that we're using antiquated volcano design with inferior failsafes.

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  5. Of course, we all know the eruption date by circletimessquare · · Score: 5, Funny

    December 21

    relax, 8 more months to go

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  6. Here's a hint by koan · · Score: 4, Informative

    Go Google the location of the plates and fault lines, then look at earthquakes for the last 10 years and you will see a pattern.

    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ypalM7eSBEQ/SdzT_ajylVI/AAAAAAAAAbM/XNB1-z6lvKg/s1600-h/tectonic_map.jpg

    http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eqarchives/year/byyear.php

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  7. Need more virgins by PPH · · Score: 5, Funny

    Fast.

    Slashdotters, be afraid.

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  8. Stupid by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    What kind of idiot builds a city next to a volcano?

    N from Edinburgh