Mt Ontake is erupting

[cpuer]

Scary 御嶽山
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWXTiSbE4zc&feature=youtu.be

 

[kifo]

Er I just want to point out that the above video link stole from the original youtube post here:

by kuroda terutoshi

 

[JetFixation]

Wow the hikers lost complete visibility toward the end.
Hope the people stranded on the top manage to evacuate safely.


News article on ABC:
Japan's Mt Ontake volcano erupts, injuring 8 people and leaving 250 stranded on summithttp://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-27/several-injured-in-volcanic-eruption-in-central-japan/5773890

 

[kifo]

Anybody interested in reading more about the disaster should read this report by a geophysicist with plenty of photos from Twitter feeds.
Violent Eruption Traps Hikers At Mount Ontake, Japan

Mt Ontake is in Nagano prefecture, an active volcano over 3000m. It is also a popular tourist location, but it doesn't seem to have it's own page in the Japan Guide website. Many tourists hike up the mountain carrying almost nothing, as they can take a ropeway halfway up the mountain.

 

[cpuer]

All these live volcanoes are no joke, judging by the the numbers of climbers involved, this one in particular is apparently erupted very suddenly without too much advance signs.

RIP to those that have lost their life at this fearful volcano.

http://www.jma.go.jp/en/volcano/map_3.html

Sakurajima at Kyusu also, in fact more severe warning:
http://www.jma.go.jp/en/volcano/map_6.html

Notice the absent of volcanoes in Kansai regions?

 

[kifo]

Mt Fuji is also a live volcano. Mt Ontake is the 2nd highest volcano in Japan after Fuji.
Will this sudden eruption on Mt Ontake change the safe perception of climbing Mt Fuji?

 

[angcsbenny]

this is extremely surprising as i always thought that volcano eruptions will have some signs before they erupt. i also read an article regarding mt fuji

Japan earthquake has raised pressure below Mount Fuji, says new study | World news | Guardian Weekly

 

[snap99]

On the news just now this guy was showing tht earthquakes around the volcano started late aug and increasing early parts of sep .......

 

[snap99]

And to think I was on top of tateyama yesterday ..... Is that a live volcano ?

 

[kifo]

Tateyama is not a live volcano, but there is a volcano nearby 2km away to the west.

Anyway the latest news on Mt Ontake is that 32 people were seriously injured and 7 are still unconsious. Probably due to the poisonous fumes. About another 100 people are still trapped on the mountain.

 

[Deathskull88]

Just watched it on the local news, my goodness, hope the hikers are ok.

Hope it doesn't happen on Mount Shinmoedake in Kirishima again anytime soon, or the hiking trails will never reopen, wish to hike it someday.

 

[kifo]

The number of deaths has jumped up alarmingly. 31 in cardiac arrest. Yesterday there was report of a woman hiker dead, which until now is not confirmed on other news. And there are still 43 hikers left unaccounted for.

 

[snap99]

This is one mountain I didn't climb when I was living in Japan couple years ago ... Haizzzzz

 

[cpuer]

The number of deaths has jumped up alarmingly. 31 in cardiac arrest. Yesterday there was report of a woman hiker dead, which until now is not confirmed on other news. And there are still 43 hikers left unaccounted for.

so the total fatalities could be as high as 74!!

 

[kifo]

This video shows the rescue operation at the summit lodges more clearly. Of the 31 people who died, 4 of them were completely buried in ash and had to be dug out.

Hiking map for Ontake:
http://www.kisoji.com/data/open/cnt/3/2031/1/guidemap_2.pdf

But looking at the hiking map of Mt Ontake, there are plenty of routes up to the top. and close to 10 different hiking huts on the mountain. The most common route is from Tanohara in the southeast. Of the 43 people who are still missing, they were probably travelling on the other less popular routes and must have gotten into trouble either by falling rocks or ash. Perhaps a few of them were nearest to the spot where it erupted and died on the spot.

 

[cpuer]

Some experts analysis
Sudden volcanic eruptions rare: French expert | The Japan Times

 

[MillieToh]

Er I just want to point out that the above video link stole from the original youtube post here:

by kuroda terutoshi

That is really tragic. Respect to the person who still managed to film the ordeal. So that is how it looks like close up...