Number of confirmed deaths rises to 12, at least 36 feared dead (Reuters UK) Mount Ontake in central Japan erupted unexpectedly Saturday, leaving more than 30 people believed to be dead. About 250 people were initially trapped on the slopes. At least 36 people are believed to have died from this weekend’s eruption at Mt. Ontake in central Japan (200 km (125 miles) west of Tokyo), as dangerous gases emitting from the country’s second-highest volcano hampered efforts to recover victims. Twelve bodies have been retrieved from the mountain since yesterday and were declared dead, public broadcaster NHK reported. Crews were forced to suspend operations yesterday and this afternoon to avoid being overtaken by sulfurous gases emitting from the volcano’s vent, said Soshi Shiotani, an official at the Fire and Disaster Management Agency. Smoke and ash have billowed from Ontake since the eruption shortly before noon on Sept. 27, as efforts continued to find missing hikers and bring down the injured. The Japan Meteorological Agency said in a statement that the eruption could be a precursor to further bursts of volcanic activity. On September 28, Sunday, the police reported that over 30 people have been found in cardiac arrest near the summit, a term used by Japanese emergency services for people not showing obvious vital signs. In the language of Japanese police, this usually means death, because only an authorized physician can pronounce a person dead.
Posted on: Mon, 29 Sep 2014 15:05:53 +0000
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