Volcán de Colima, a stratovolcano (cone shaped volcano made up of layers of
ash and lava)
in southern Mexico which gives its name to both the state of Colima and
the Colima Volcanic Complex, erupted suddenly at about 5.30 local time on Friday 3 February 2017, producing an ash column that rose about 4 km above the summit of the volcano and caused ash falls in some local communities, as well as triggering a pyroclastic flow (avalanche of hot rock, ash and gas) on the eastern flank of the volcano.
The volcanoes of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt (including Volcán de Colima) are fuelled by the subduction of the Cocos Plate beneath the North American Plate along the Middle American Trench to the south of Mexico. As the subducting plate sinks into the Earth it is melted by the heat and pressure, and volatile minerals liquefy and rise through the overlying North American Plate as magma, fuelling Mexico's volcanoes.
The subduction of the Cocos Plate beneath the North American Plate in Mexico, and how it leads to volcanoes and Earthquakes. King Saud University.
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