CAUGHT ON CAMERA: Mexico's Majestic Popocatepetl volcano erupts

MEXICO CITY (NBC News) — Mexico's Majestic Popocatepetl volcano erupted Sunday morning in a dramatic show of ash, steam and gas.

The eruption took place around 8 a.m. Local time, spewing ash over nearby communities.

The Civil Protection Office sent out an alert to residents on how to protect themselves from the ash.

The ash cloud rose about 6,500 feet above the crater.

The volcano southeast of Mexico City has been active since the mid-1990s, but some significant eruptions last year rocked communities living in the volcano's shadow.

There are more than 3,000 volcanos in Mexico, but only 14 are considered active.