From: "Rick Wunderman, Global Volcanism Network" 
Subject:      Popocatepetl, 21 December Eruption

                   Popocatepetl
        central Mexico (19.02 deg N, 98.62 deg W)
           (summit elevation 5,465 m)
     All times are local ( = GMT - 6 hours)

     In the absence of hard data, here's a summary
of some recent news stories on the 21 December
eruption.  Also note that our last Global Volcanism
Network E-mail message gave an erroneous time for
the eruption, which was apparently in the early
morning.
     A 21 December United Press report described
the recent eruption as follows:
     "Three explosions were registered
Wednesday at Mexico's Popocatepetl volcano, east of
the capital, but a volcanologist said the blasts were
minor and that similar activity has been registered
over the past 70 years.   The explosions, along with
other volcanic activity, were registered between 1:30
a.m. and 2 a.m. on Popocatepetl, 39 miles (65 km)
east of Mexico City in central Mexico, a seismologist
at the National Disaster Prevention Center said.
Volcano expert Servando de la Cruz told Radio Red
of Mexico City that the blasts left a blanket of ash and
that the 17,991-foot (5,452 m) volcano continued to
emit smoke and ash later Wednesday."
     "Fernando Bermudez, a resident in Puebla, 27
miles (45 km) east of the volcano, said the blasts left
the city covered with a thin layer of [white] ash."
     A 21 December Associated Press story by
Lawrence Kootnikoff said Popocat petl, "spewed a
column of roiling black ash Wednesday, dusting
villages and farmland but causing no injuries."
     "Television footage from traffic helicopters
showed a dense column of ash belching from the
summit. Reporters aboard the helicopters said the ash
appeared to be blowing away from Mexico City to the
southeast."
     A 21 December Associated Press story by
Lawrence Kootnikoff said Popocat petl, "spewed a
column of roiling black ash Wednesday, dusting
villages and farmland but causing no injuries."
     "Television footage from traffic helicopters
showed a dense column of ash belching from the
summit. Reporters aboard the helicopters said the ash
appeared to be blowing away from Mexico City to the
southeast."
     A 21 December Reuter story stated
Popocatepetl had "five minor eruptions."  The story
also noted that authorities estimated the mass of the ash
fall as about 5,000 tons and that they had only
evacuated a few people.