Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl
If you have ever seen this picture and wondered what the story behind it was, you are in luck. This is a legend of a love that couldn’t be and heartbreak, kind of like a version of Romeo and Juliet which includes a rumor of death. These 2 are represented by two volcanoes in Mexico.
Popocatépetl (Left), Iztaccíhuatl (Right)
Popocatépetl is Strato Volcano and North America’s third highest volcano. It is also formed of what is left from an old volcano and is currently still active. Since the volcano is surrounded by ice and glaciers it is susceptible to lahars in case of eruption in which lava begins to spew out. Also since it is so close to several cities including Mexico City, some towns have had to be evacuated due to warnings of pyrolastic flows and tephra in case of an explosion. Iztaccíhuatl is a dormant volcano which is adjacent to the great Popocatépetl and is usually just referred to as a mountain. Legend says that when Iztaccíhuatl wakes up both volcanoes will erupt. An eruption would be devastating to Mexico City because of its’ proximity to the volcano.
