The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said that the eruption took place shortly before noon. The agency upgraded its 5-stage volcanic alert level to 3, urging people not to approach the mountain, named the Ontake, reported Japan's broadcaster NHK.
Local fire department said that they have received several emergency calls about injured climbers and a local official was quoted as saying that at least eight people were injured.
The JMA forecast that further eruptions may affect nearby residents and warned of large volcanic cinders which fall within a 4 km radius of the crater, said Japan's Kyodo News.
The volcano's last eruption was in 1979 when it expelled over 200,000 tons of ash. It also went through a minor eruption in 1991 and caused multiple volcanic earthquakes in 2007, reports said.
Sources: Xinhua - globaltimes.cn
27/9/14
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- A volcano in central Japan erupted on Saturday injuring at least eight people and forced aircraft to divert flying routes to void the billowing ash cloud.
The meteorological agency said Mt. Ontake, which straddles Nagano and Gifu prefectures, erupted at around 11:53am (0253 GMT), sending smoke down the mountain's south slope for more than three kms (1.9 miles).
"Seven people were lightly injured and one person suffered serious injuries as a result of the eruption," Makoto Hasegawa of the Nagano prefecture fire department told Reuters.
The eruption is still taking place, he said.
"Airplanes are diverting their flying routes to avoid the ash cloud," said Hasegawa.
NHK public broadcaster showed footage of the mountain sending thick, grey smoke into the air.
Mt. Ontake is located some 200 km (125 miles) west of Tokyo. No nuclear power plants are located nearby. Reuters - timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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Rescue teams in Japan have resumed their search for survivors of a volcanic eruption on Saturday.....
ΑπάντησηΔιαγραφήAt least 31 people are believed to have died when Mount Ontake shot plumes of rock and ash into the air.
Hundreds of hikers were on the volcano at the time of the eruption. Most walked down to safety but others were trapped.
It is unclear how many people are still on the mountain, which is about 200km (125 miles) west of Tokyo.
Smoke was still rising from the peak on Monday as helicopters resumed a search of the volcano for survivors or bodies.
More than 1,100 firefighters, police and troops are involved in the operation. The bodies of four victims were flown down on Sunday and officials expect those of 27 more will be recovered soon.
Some of the bodies were found in a lodge near the summit and others were buried in ash up to 50cm (20in) deep, Japanese media reported.
Hikers who made it down the mountain told how a rolling cloud of volcanic debris had swept down its flanks, smothering everything in its path.
"Some people were buried in ash up to their knees and the two in front of me seemed to be dead," a woman hiker told the broadcaster Asahi.
Another told how she had heard the last moments of a victim hit by a cascade of rocks.
"There was someone lying outside the hut after being hit in the back," she said..............http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-29405466
29/9/14
Japanese volcano death toll rises; rescue halted by toxic gas
ΑπάντησηΔιαγραφήKISO, Japan -- Five more bodies were found near the summit of a Japanese volcano on Monday, bringing the total presumed dead to 36, police said, as toxic gases and ash from the still-erupting mountain forced rescue workers to halt efforts to recover the victims.
Eight more bodies were airlifted off Mount Ontake before work on the ash-blanketed peak was called off around 1:30 p.m., said Naofumi Miyairi, a spokesman for the Nagano prefecture police.
Together with four victims brought down on Sunday, 12 bodies have now been recovered, leaving 24 near the summit. Exactly how they died remains unclear, though experts say it could be from suffocating ash, falling rocks, toxic gases or some combination of them. Some of the bodies had severe contusions..............http://www.ctvnews.ca/world/japanese-volcano-death-toll-rises-rescue-halted-by-toxic-gas-1.2029097#ixzz3EiSRMu00
29/9/14
Eruption volcanique au Japon: 7 nouveaux corps retrouvés au sommet....
ΑπάντησηΔιαγραφήSept nouveaux corps ont été retrouvés mercredi matin au sommet du mont japonais Ontake entré brutalement en éruption samedi, a indiqué la chaîne de télévision publique NHK.
Ces victimes viennent s'ajouter aux 36 autres qui avaient été découvertes entre samedi et lundi sur ce volcan situé entre les préfectures centrales de Nagano et Gifu. Les opérations de secours avaient repris mercredi matin sur ce volcan où les sauveteurs avaient dû renoncer à se rendre mardi à cause de mauvaises conditions et de craintes de nouvelle éruption. Dans les premières heures de la matinée, ils ont d'abord récupéré 11 corps sur ceux qui avaient été repérés auparavant mais étaient restés sur place. Puis ils en ont découvert de nouveaux. Les autorités locales avaient précédemment reconnu que le bilan pourrait s'aggraver, des personnes ayant pu disparaître sans qu'on en ait encore connaissance. Selon les médias, on resterait sans nouvelles d'au moins 20 personnes en plus des 36 victimes initialement trouvées. (Belga)
http://www.rtl.be/info/monde/international/1128984/eruption-volcanique-au-japon-7-nouveaux-corps-retrouves-au-sommet
1/10/14
Sixteen people missing after volcano eruption in Japan....
ΑπάντησηΔιαγραφήAt least 16 people are missing after the volcano eruption in central Japan. Volcano Ontake began erupting last Saturday.
The information about missing people is based on the official list of people who were on the volcano slopes at the time. But some tourists do not inform local authorities about their intention to climb the volcano, so there may be more missing people. Twenty cars remained in a parking lot at the foot of the volcano, and rescuers have not found owners of the cars yet.............................http://en.itar-tass.com/non-political/752562
3/10/14
Snow suspends search on Mount Ontake until next year...
ΑπάντησηΔιαγραφήEfforts to recover the bodies of hikers surprised by the deadly eruption of Mount Ontake last month have been called off until next year due to snow, according to the Nagano Prefectural Government.
The 3,067-meter volcano, which straddles the border of Nagano and Gifu prefectures, was covered by about 5 cm of snow as of Thursday, making the conditions for a search more perilous.
With seven people still missing, the prefectural government deemed the risk of continuing too great. Most of the volcano, which erupted without warning on Sept. 27, claiming 56 lives, have already been combed through by teams of police officers, firefighters and Ground Self-Defense Force soldiers.
The rescuers’ efforts, hampered by thick layers of ash, had been repeatedly suspended by typhoons and toxic gas, and some of them were beginning to show signs of altitude sickness.
A decision on resuming the search will be made around next spring when the avalanche and other risks recede, sources said.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/10/16/national/snow-suspends-search-mount-ontake-next-year/#.VD_-B1fQqt8
16/10/14