Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Puebla (Agenzia Fides) - The Archbishop of Puebla de los Angeles, Mgr.Víctor Sánchez Espinosa, has announced that in the parishes closest to area of the Popocatepetl volcano (San Martin Texmelucan, Atlixco, San Andres and San Pedro Cholula), 4-hostel centers will be set up as shelters for people forced to leave their homes because of the volcanic activity. The Archbishop said to be in constant communication with all the priests of the communities located within the danger zone, and gave them the official administrative regulations to follow.
The note sent to Fides says that the Archbishop said that people hardly want to leave their property, "in the danger zone they have their land and their animals, and it is also a fertile area, there are people who say that the ashes act as fertilizers for the fields, so they will not leave their homes easily." Meanwhile, the population of the community of Santigo Xalitzintla, located six kilometers from the crater of the Popocatepetl volcano, has asked the authorities to supply food. In fact, they are beginning to worry and do not know what to do following the danger of the giant volcano. Of the 19 eruptions of the Popocatepetl volcano, which occurred the day before yesterday, only one has released a significant amount of ash, as reported by the National Center for Disaster Prevention (Cenapred). The Popocatepetl volcano, 5,452 meters high, located 70 kilometers south-east of Mexico City, has been in yellow alert for ten days and raises concern for the approximately 28,000 residents in neighboring communities, of the states of Mexico, Puebla and Morelos. The last eruptive activity was in 2000, when thousands of people were displaced. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 24/4/2012)
