New | At least 36 feared dead on Japanese volcano as rescue search called off

At least 36 people are feared to have died after a Japanese volcano erupted without warning at the weekend, raining ash and stones on hikers, but the search for victims was abandoned on Monday because of fears of rising levels of toxic gases.

Rescuers at the peak of Mount Ontake, now an eerie moonscape under a thick layer of grey ash, on Monday found what may be five new victims of Saturday’s eruption at Japan’s second-highest active volcano.

The eruption of the 3,067-metre peak, 200km west of Tokyo, took place as the popular hiking site was packed with climbers, including children, admiring autumn foliage under a brilliant blue sky.

Ten people have so far been confirmed dead in Japan’s first fatal volcanic eruption since 1991, and 63 have been injured, some with broken bones. Eight are missing, but officials said some of them could possibly be among those who perished.

“It’s my son, my second son. We’ve had absolutely no contact at all,” a grey-haired man told Japanese television, adding that his 26-year-old son had gone to the mountain with his girlfriend. “We’re utterly exhausted.”

More than 500 rescuers had been combing the summit, ploughing through knee-deep ash and passing mountain lodges with holes punched in their roofs by rocks shot out of the volcano.