Officials in Mexico have closed the airport in Puebla for a second time this week, after its runways became covered with ash from the newly active Popocatepetl volcano.

"The reason for the closure is the presence again of ash on the runway," said Fernando Manzanilla, Puebla's secretary general, who said officials would decide later Thursday on how soon to resume operations.

Officials had reopened the airport Wednesday after a 14 hour shutdown to allow for cleanup after being covered with volcanic ash and rock.

Since the volcano in central Mexico came to life several weeks ago, it has spewed gas and glowing rock as much as one mile (1.6 kilometers) beyond its crater, and intermittently belched out water vapor and ash.