Japan Volcano: More Than 30 Hikers Feared Dead
Rescue workers in Japan find the victims unconscious near the summit of Mount Ontake after it erupted without warning.
新聞背景：

9月27日，日本中部地區的御岳山發生火山噴發。火山灰沿著山體向下蔓延大約3公里、向上升至大約1000米。
御岳山海拔3067米，是日本國內第14高峰。御岳山還是“日本百座名山”之一，棲息著雷鳥等珍稀動植物。過去35年來，御岳山至少四次噴發。
日本素有“火山國”之稱，全國有超過100座活火山，處于噴發或者活動頻繁期的就有47座。有專家認為，受2011年3月東日本大地震影響，日本的火山活動正變得更加活躍。
對日本首相安倍晉三來說，現在考慮的是另外一個令他頭疼的問題。因為鹿兒島縣的川內核電站已經通過安全審核，日本政府可能最快于明年年初率先啟動該核電站，并盡可能推動國內核電站的重啟進程。但在核電站的安全問題上，火山活動及其噴發可能構成的安全威脅似乎一直被忽視了。分析認為，御岳山此次火山噴發，勢必加重日本國民反對重啟核電站的心理。
From the bows of the earth, ash, rocks and smoke, the cloud moves with deceptive speed, engulfing everything in its path, including around 250 climbers. Mount Ontake, popular hiking destination, erupted without warning on Saturday. Many were restrained there overnight. Although some managed to make their way through the ash blizzard and take refuge in mountain lounges.
Big thick sized stones and rocks were raining down and striking people. So those occured, run for shelter under this Shinto Shrine up on the mountain, the few mountain hearts.
They are the lucky people who got to some kind of shelter. But others, it’s pretty clear, were caught out in the open and struck by these falling rocks as well as overwhelmed by the smoke and feels of heat coming out of this volcano.
At least 30 people are known to have died. Japanese official said they suffered heart and lung failure. But that’s simply the customed way for authority to describe the body until it’s examined by the doctor. While many of those bodies are yet to be recovered. Efforts continued to rescue the living. Some can be seen waving for help. But others are totally camouflaged. This person is using a flashing light to grab attention of emergency services.
This is a volcano that has a recent history of big eruptions, but no one as this one big. If someone is close by, he will be in danger.
Mount Ontake’s last major eruption was 35 years ago. It is a major tourist attraction in central japan, particularly in the autumn months.
With this natural disaster, I think it will affect tourism around here so the locals are going to have a tough time.
Women and children were among those trapped. The volcano is still smouldering. The rest of the rescue effort is being hampered by rising levels of toxic gas near the peak.
Japanese authorities have experience in dealing with natural disasters, but this eruption has shocked the country.
Ruji Sushei, Sky News.