MEXICO CITY, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Central Mexico's active Popocatepetl Volcano on Friday spewed a thick plume of ash and smoke some 5 kilometers into the sky, putting surrounding communities on alert.

"Popo," as the volcano is commonly known, is located between the states of Puebla and Morelos, and Mexico's National Disaster Prevention Center (Cenapred) said at least two nearby towns, both in Puebla, were "lightly" dusted with ash.

However, winds could spread the ashes as far away as the state capital, also called Puebla, and other towns, said Cenapred.

The volcano, whose Aztec name means "Smoking Mountain," erupted at 9:46 a.m., emitting a dark cloud of smoke that could be seen from several towns around the 5,500-meter-high mountain.

The head of Cenapred, Luis Felipe Puente, posted photographs and videos of the "exhalation" on Twitter, along with recommendations for residents and their mascots or farm animals in the largely rural communities to avoid exposure to the ashes.

Popo, located just 72 km from the capital Mexico City, was largely dormant from 1947 to 1994, and has had frequent minor eruptions since.