More than 30 people were presumed dead on Sunday near the peak of a Japanese volcano, Mount Ontake, that erupted unexpectedly a day earlier while it was packed with hikers out to admire autumn foliage, sending a huge cloud of ash and rock tumbling down its slopes.
Japan Rescue Search for Victims of Mount Ontake Volcano Eruption
![Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF) soldiers run to assist in a rescue operation near the peak of Mt. Ontake, which straddles Nagano and Gifu prefectures, central Japan, Sept. 29, 2014.](https://gdb.voanews.com/94B65DB1-EEC7-47B1-B460-62103EC57487_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF) soldiers run to assist in a rescue operation near the peak of Mt. Ontake, which straddles Nagano and Gifu prefectures, central Japan, Sept. 29, 2014.
![Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF) soldiers and police officers take part in a rescue operation near the peak of Mount Ontake. More than 500 rescuers resumed the search for victims of the volcano on Monday, central Japan, Sept. 29, 2014.](https://gdb.voanews.com/F7259AA2-C185-41CE-B830-1E0090F0AC4D_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF) soldiers and police officers take part in a rescue operation near the peak of Mount Ontake. More than 500 rescuers resumed the search for victims of the volcano on Monday, central Japan, Sept. 29, 2014.
![Volcanic smoke rises from Mount Ontake, which straddles Nagano and Gifu prefectures, central Japan, Sept. 29, 2014.](https://gdb.voanews.com/414CD040-1875-41D2-BB0B-7A10C3089ED7_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Volcanic smoke rises from Mount Ontake, which straddles Nagano and Gifu prefectures, central Japan, Sept. 29, 2014.
![This aerial picture shows rescue workers and Self Defense Force soldiers searching for missing climbers and survivors among ash-covered mountain cottages and a Shinto shrine (above) on the top of Mount Ontake at Nagano prefecture, Sept. 28, 2014.](https://gdb.voanews.com/AFEC7E91-0A96-4E8D-A226-393E046C58ED_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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This aerial picture shows rescue workers and Self Defense Force soldiers searching for missing climbers and survivors among ash-covered mountain cottages and a Shinto shrine (above) on the top of Mount Ontake at Nagano prefecture, Sept. 28, 2014.