A Japan volcano eruption over the weekend has left authorities presuming that the nearly 30 hikers, who were near the area where the unpredictable eruption took place, are now dead.
In a weekend report by the National Geographic, the Japanese volcano's eruption of toxic fumes and ash allegedly came as a shock to many.
Following the eruption of Japan's Mount Ontake, the Japan Meteorological Agency has noted that six other volcanoes, beside Ontake, are showing signs of eruption as well.
Volcanic eruptions and earthquakes are however not that rare in the powerful Asian country that is nestled on top of a volcanic island where three of the Earth's crustal plates collide.
The volcano that erupted in Japan over the weekend is said to be one of the most popular destinations for hikers, with Mount Fuji being the most popular one since it also serves as the site of religious pilgrimage.
At about 10,062 feet, Mount Ontake is considered the second-highest volcano in Japan, and it is located about 125 miles west of Tokyo.
It is pretty distinct compared to other volcanoes since its ash and fume release is not always preceded by movements of magma. Furthermore, it belongs to a class called "stratovolcanoes" which erupt at unpredictable intervals only. This explains why the volcanic eruption on Saturday came as a shock to many.
On Sunday, rescuers discovered the bodies of the hikers who were initially presumed to have died following the incident. The AFP was informed that 31 bodies were found at the time.
On Monday, five more bodies were found, increasing the death toll over the Japanese volcanic eruption 2014 to 36, reported The Guardian.
A Japanese army official, who took part in the search and rescue operation, said that firefighters, police and troops experienced difficulty in digging through the ash.
Seiichi Sakurai, a local worker at one of the huts at the near the top off the volcano, said, "Ash was constantly falling ... Some people were buried alive but I could do nothing but tell [rescuers] about them over the radio."
According to the official statement from the Japanese government, nearly 60 people suffered injuries out of the Japanese volcanic eruption over the weekend. Some were hit by flying rocks; others inhaled hot poisonous fumes.
The Japan Meteorological Agency has said that further eruptions are very possible and that volcanic debris may settle as far as 4km from the peak of the volcano.
"People may say we failed to predict this, but this is something that could not be helped, in a sense. That's the reality of the limit of our knowledge," one of the agency's volcanologists, Toshitsugu Fujii said.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
