For nearly three decades farmer-turned-policeman, Nefi de Aquino, has been “taking care of” the Mexico volcano affectionately known as “El Popo.” And for the past 23 of those years, he has been sending scientists daily photographs of Popocatepetl.
May 26, 2023 GMTWhen the Popocatepetl volcano reawakened in 1994, scientists scoured the surrounding areas for people who could be their eyes and ears. Nefi de Aquino, a farmer in his fifties who knew photography and lived beside the volcano, fit the bill. Since then his life changed. When the Popocatepetl volcano reawakened in 1994, scientists scoured the surrounding areas for people who could be their eyes and ears.
For nearly three decades, de Aquino says he has been “taking care of” the volcano affectionately known as “El Popo.” And for the past 23 of those years, he has been sending scientists daily photographs. Since it appeared calm, de Aquino didn’t stay long. Over the previous week, he had been busy sending digital volcano photographs to a slew of researchers at universities and government agencies as the mountain’s activity increased and authorities. Once again the world’s eyes were on the 17,797-foot Popocatepetl, including those of the 25 million people living within 60 miles of its crater.
Officers told de Aquino that the government was looking for people to monitor the volcano and that he, then 41, had certain advantages. He appeared serious, he had finished high school and during his short stay in the United States he had learned how to take photographs. The ways that local people who help monitor the volcano are compensated are seldom straightforward, because they are not on the payrolls of universities or other research institutions, despite “becoming our eyes close to the volcano,” said Carlos Valdés, a researcher at the UNAM’s Geophysics Institute and former head of CENAPRED.
Paulino Alonso, a technician at CENAPRED who does fieldwork at Popocatepetl, said collaboration with locals also has given researchers a better understanding of how locals perceive risks.In 2000, when Popocatepetl grew more active, authorities declared a red alert and thousands of people were evacuated. De Aquino’s monitoring work intensified.
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