Five more bodies were found yesterday on Mount Ontake, in Japan. Up until today, the total number of victims due to the volcano eruption is 36. Only twelve bodies have been recovered, identified and legally declared dead. The remaining twenty-four are still stuck on the mountain. The recovery operation is being kept on hold because of the dangers still present on Mount Ontake. Hydrogen sulfide gas is still being eliminated from the mountain. At the time of the eruption, there were approximately 200-250 people in the area. Most of them however, were believed to have managed to safely evacuate the area in time.
However, there were people trapped in some lodges on Mount Ontake. A rescue unit, formed by more than 350 policemen, firefighters and military personnel began climbing the mountain on two different routes. They declared having seen approximately 20 inches of volcanic ash, covering the ground. The Mount Ontake volcano released a massive cloud of ash, on Saturday morning. The sound was described as having been similar to a thunder. The families and friends of the people trapped or deceased on Mount Ontake are desperately gathering near the area. However, most of them simply seek closure, since they know there are slim chances of their loved ones still being alive and safe. Nonetheless, until clear information is not presented, they still have a glimmer of hope in their hearts.
Due to the volcanic alert level raised in Japan by the Meteorological Agency, the public is strongly advised to stay away from the volcano area on Mount Ontake. The agency also stated that another eruption might be expected in the next few days or week. The smoke and ash which were eliminated during the volcano eruption was able to disrupt air travel in Japan. Mount Ontake is Japan’s second largest volcano. It is very popular and visited by a great number of tourists during this time of the year.
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A similarly major eruption took place before, on Mount Ontake. According to the Smithsonian Institute, the last major eruption was back in 1979. This eruption lasted for months and eliminated over 200,000 tons of ash. The surroundings of Mount Ontake were affected by the volcano eruption for months after the incident.