"An eruption involving a moderate amount of ash was registered at 6:33 a.m. The pillar reached 3 kilometres into the air", the agency tweeted.
The authorities prohibited anyone from coming closer than 12 kilometers to Popocatepetl, which means a "smoking mountain" in the language of the indigenous Aztec population.
The active volcano is located some 30 miles southeast of Mexico City in the eastern half of the Trans-Mexican volcanic belt and poses a danger to highly populated nearby areas. It is the Central American country’s second-highest peak and the most active volcano. It is one of Mexico's most recognizable symbols.