12 more bodies found on Mount Ontake as experts fear another eruption

The death toll from the deadly Mount Ontake eruption on Saturday has risen to almost 50, as a dozen more bodies were uncovered on its slopes. The additional bodies were unearthed in the wake of the 36 that had already been discovered. Prefectural and police officials said most bodies were found around the summit, where many climbers were resting or having lunch. Many are thought to have been killed by inhaling toxic fumes or suffocating on volcanic ash, which burnt their lungs. Some of the bodies are reported to have severe bruising due to falling rocks. Media reports suggested as many as 20 people remain unaccounted for, with an area of the volcano still out of bounds to rescuers as it continues to billow toxic gas and steam.

I couldn’t breathe, and rocks kept falling down like rain. I thought I was going to die. It was intense, it was almost surreal. I have to remind myself that anything can happen at the mountains.

Mountain guide Sayuri Ogawa, who escaped the eruption

Some 1,000 troops, police and firefighters have been combing the volcano since Sunday, Meanwhile, volcanic tremors have been on the increase and rose to a level not seen since after the initial eruption on Saturday evening, Shoji Saito of the Japan Meteorological Agency, told the Associated Press. The Japan Meteorological Agency has issued a level 3 warning stating, “Do not approach the volcano”. The eruption caught at least 250 hikers by surprise. Seismologists had detected signs of increased seismic activity at Mount Ontake, but nothing signaled a fatal eruption.