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.
新闻背景：

9月27日，日本中部地区的御岳山发生火山喷发。火山灰沿着山体向下蔓延大约3公里、向上升至大约1000米。
御岳山海拔3067米，是日本国内第14高峰。御岳山还是“日本百座名山”之一，栖息着雷鸟等珍稀动植物。过去35年来，御岳山至少四次喷发。
日本素有“火山国”之称，全国有超过100座活火山，处于喷发或者活动频繁期的就有47座。有专家认为，受2011年3月东日本大地震影响，日本的火山活动正变得更加活跃。
对日本首相安倍晋三来说，现在考虑的是另外一个令他头疼的问题。因为鹿儿岛县的川内核电站已经通过安全审核，日本政府可能最快于明年年初率先启动该核电站，并尽可能推动国内核电站的重启进程。但在核电站的安全问题上，火山活动及其喷发可能构成的安全威胁似乎一直被忽视了。分析认为，御岳山此次火山喷发，势必加重日本国民反对重启核电站的心理。
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.