TOKYO • One man was killed and at least 11 people injured when rocks from an erupting volcano rained down on skiers at a mountain resort in central Japan yesterday and an avalanche soon after the eruption engulfed about a dozen skiers..
TOKYO • One man was killed and at least 11 people injured when rocks from an erupting volcano rained down on skiers at a mountain resort in central Japan yesterday and an avalanche soon after the eruption engulfed about a dozen skiers.
Six of those trapped were members of Japan’s Ground Self-defence Force engaged in winter training manoeuvres, Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera said.
All were rescued but most were injured and one of them later died, the Defence Ministry said.
Japanese media reported that many of the injured were apparently hit by volcanic rocks. Two were critically injured and three seriously, national broadcaster NHK said.
Kusatsu-Shirane, a 2,160m volcano, erupted yesterday morning, the Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA) said. The agency warned that further eruptions could not be ruled out and that rocks could be thrown as far as 2km from the peak.
Video footage showed skiers gliding down the slopes as black rocks plummeted from the skies and snow billowed up as they struck the ground, sometimes just missing skiers.
