Mexico's Colima volcano spews ash prompting evacuations — 'Atypical' activity since 1913

Smoke and ash rise from the Colima volcano (AP Photo/Sergio Tapiro Velasco)

Colima volcano in western Mexico has erupted, spewing ash more than 4 miles into the air, prompting authorities to close the airport in the state capital of Colima and evacuating several people.

The volcanic activity at the Colima began Thursday and continued Friday morning, AP reported.

"The communities in this 12km radius are very small and don't exceed 800 inhabitants. They have all been evacuated," BBC reported quoting civil protection co-ordinator, Luis Felipe Puente, as saying. The residents of Yerbabuena, Colima, have been evacuated and have been taken to a temporary shelter.

According to the Russian news channel, RT, the authorities are monitoring the volcanic activity “minute by minute,” expecting three possible scenarios: a slow fading of activity over the next months, the collapse of the volcano’s domes, or a major explosive eruption. 

The volcano's movements have been described as "atypical," a kind of activity not seen since it underwent a strong eruption in 1913, NewsOk has mentioned quoting Civil protection officials.

According to Colima state's civil protection agency, the initial eruption occurred just after 11 a.m. on Thursday. Ash has been falling to the southwest of the crater.

The Colima volcano, also known as the Volcano of Fire, sits near the border of the western states of Colima and Jalisco.

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