Volcano hurls rocks into the sky

Image:Birds fly in the foreground as a plume of ash and steam rises from Mexico's Popocatepetl volcano, as seen from San Andres Cholula.

Mexico City - Mexico’s Popocatepetl volcano hurled super-heated rock fragments a kilometre into the air early on Thursday and officials warned that more - and bigger - outbursts are likely.

The volcano south-east of Mexico City continued to send towering plumes of ash and water vapour into the air during the day as the ground around it shuddered, according to the National Disaster Prevention Centre.

The gritty, abrasive volcanic ash can ruin car engines, block drains and damage crops.

The centre said the ash and vapour rose about 800m above the crater at midday and it was being blown to the east-northeast, away from the Mexican capital.

Authorities this week raised the alert level due to increasing activity at the 5 450m peak. Its most violent eruption in 1 200 years occurred on December 18, 2000.

- Sapa-AP-IOL