Mexico's famed Popocatepetl volcano spews smoke and ash.<br/> <br />Officials worried about a potentially devestating eruption are considering the possibility of evacuating nearby towns and villages.<br/> <br />Mexico's National Centre for Disaster Protection has raised the alert for Popocatepetl to the third highest level on its seven-step scale.<br/> <br />Authorities are visiting local towns to explain potential evacuation procedures.<br/> <br />The volcano, whose name means "smoking mountain", lies just southeast of Mexico City.<br/> <br />Its last major eruption was in 2000 that forced 40,000 people to evacuate their homes.<br/> <br />Sarah Sheffer, Reuters
