At least 30 people presumed dead on erupting Japanese volcano

More than 30 hikers were found unconscious and feared dead after a volcano erupted in central Japan, authorities said.

Japanese news agencies reported that rescuers on Sunday began taking 31 hikers suffering from "cardiac and respiratory arrest down from Mount Ontake.
Rescue efforts after Saturday's eruption had been suspended, due to a buildup of toxic gas, the Kyodo News Service reported. The first four people brought down were confirmed dead.

The climbers were found near the volcano's peak, but continued eruptions made rescue difficult, local officials said.

The eruptions took the nation by surprise on a beautiful fall day when the brightly colored leaves had drawn hundreds of hikers to the scenic volcano.
What started as a busy weekend for tourism wrapped up as a massive rescue effort involving more than 500 soldiers, police and firefighters.

A group of 25 hikers who spent the night in a cabin were able to climb down Sunday, one man told NHK-TV. He said the group had been near the summit.
"People panicked," he told NHK. "Honestly, I am glad I was able to come back alive."

On Sunday, columns of thick white steam were still rising from 10,000-foot Mount Ontake, about 160 miles west of Tokyo.

The mountain is a popular climbing destination, and at least 250 people were initially trapped on the slopes, though most made their way down by Saturday night.

It was the volcano's first major eruption since October 1979.

By Ruchi Singh

Park Sae-jin swatchsjp@ajunews.com

At least 30 people presumed dead on erupting Japanese volcano

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