Central Japan’s Mount Ontake erupts; hikers reported injured

[Baclava]

Mount Ontake, a volcano straddling Nagano and Gifu prefectures, erupted at 11:53 a.m. Saturday, injuring at least eight hikers and leaving 250 others stranded near the peak, local police and rescue workers said.

There were also unconfirmed reports that four hikers were buried under volcanic ash, Nagano police said.

The Meteorological Agency said smoke billowing down the south face of the 3,067-meter mountain and stretching over 3 km was observed through a land ministry camera.

The agency is forecasting further eruptions that may affect nearby residents and is warning of volcanic cinder falling within a 4-km radius of the crater.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/09/27/national/central-japans-mt-ontake-erupts-hikers-reported-injured/#.VCaADv10zIU

[Baclava]

1. 100+ views and no replies? I guess...I'll just keep this thread for myself

?w=720&h=543&l=50&t=40

:large

[Jesus Malverde]

2. Thanks for posting this.

Hope those missing are found safe.

[Baclava]

3. thanks - one dead, 30 seriously hurt, dozens more in danger

One dead, dozens stranded on erupting Japanese volcano

Dozens of hikers were stranded Saturday on the slopes of an erupting Japanese volcano that has reportedly killed one person and left 30 more seriously injured.

Ash, rocks and steam continued to spew from Mount Ontake more than nine hours after it sprang violently to life as around 250 people were trying to scale its peak.

Around 230 people have now reached the bottom but a further 40 are trapped at the summit where they will spend the night in shelters, local media reported.

"I first thought it was thunder as I heard a bang and another bang, two or three times," a trekker told public broadcaster NHK. "Then volcanic dust fell noisily."

Amateur cameraman Keiji Aoki told Jiji Press: "It was tremendous. I prepared for death when I got caught in the dust under a pine tree."

http://news.yahoo.com/volcano-erupts-central-japan-hikers-reported-injured-105042669.html

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I don't speak Japanese, but I'm pretty sure I can figure out what those guys were saying as it erupted...

[hootinholler]

4. Here's a kick for M. Nature. n/t

[Baclava]

5. you watch - the disaster porn groupies will be all over it if enough people die

till then it's not "a story"