Mexico City, Dec 27 (IANS): The Colima volcano in western Mexico belched out a column of smoke and ash 1.5 km high, the Civil Protection chief Luis Felipe Puente said.

Puente did not issue an alert over the emission from the volcano, but notified the natural phenomenon on Twitter, Efe news reported on Tuesday.

Colima in recent weeks increased its activity with explosions and smoke columns rising up to three km in height.

The Civil Protection, however, published on its web page a series of recommendations for people living near the mountain, which rises to a height of 3,860 metres above sea level.

These included relocating to temporary shelters and respecting the exclusion radius of 7.5 km around the volcano's crater in Jalisco and 12 km in Colima states.

In case of an ash fall, authorities recommended that people cover their noses and mouths with wet handkerchiefs or masks, close the windows and remain inside as much as possible.

Also, cover containers of water so that they don't get contaminated and remove ash from roofs as they could collapse.

The Colima volcano, also known as the 'Fire Volcano', is located on the mutual border between Colima and Jalisco states and is Mexico's most active volcano.