Avalanche engulfs skiers after volcano erupts near Gunma resort; 1 dead, 11 injured

WOW just never heard about this here in US. I also even when living in Japan knew that so many volcanoes were so active..... Hope they find the missing skiier...

RIP. Nature is a powerful force.

I had my first snowboarding lesson 2 weeks ago in Hakuba. Fell a dozen times on my rear including quite a bad one that has bruised (maybe cracked) a few ribs.

Had a good time though, and plan to continue my new (mid life) sport when I get better.

Not for one second did I even consider the other threats that skiers and snowboarders face... avalanches and now volcanos!!

RIP to the deceased and a speedy recovery to the injured.

No warnings before the eruption? I guess it’s hard to detect like Mt. Ontake.

Was on the mountain next door to it just two weeks ago. Many of the roads at the altitude are closed, so it is probably helicopter or hiking to bring help. Was prepared for snow, rain, wind and avalanche, but a volcanic eruption was not in my mind. Be safe everyone.

Hmmm, gotta be careful around volcanoes in Japan.

Hmm, so no warning before the eruption? I thought all active volcanoes were montitored or, at least the ones that people frequent should be.

Nature is full of leathal suprises, it's a sad day when recreation, training results in death or injury. And is it actually possible to monitor a volcano? Apparently not. Yep it's dormant, wait a minute, run. Not making light of it I'd be horrified to find myself especially family in this predicament.

Disillusioned, apparently the main giant crater over to the right as you ascend the ski lift is actually constantly monitored. This eruption today happened over to the left near an old crater, suddenly and without warning, the authorities are saying, labelling it 想定外 Sotei-Gai, ie 'Outside imaginable scenarios'. (The Fukushima earthquake and tsunami were also described as 'Soteigai'.)

nandakandamanda - the authorities are saying, labelling it 想定外 Sotei-Gai, ie 'Outside imaginable scenarios'. (The Fukushima earthquake and tsunami were also described as 'Soteigai'.)

Thanks for the info although, how many nuclear reactors were built in a country where '想定外 Sotei-Gai' is a regular occurrence? 51 with plans to build more? Yeah, that makes perfect sense, NOT!

You'd think that any seismometers that they have installed on the main crater would also have been able to detect any activity near the old crater unless it only sniffs for gas or only does laser measurements. Can you imagine if this were to happen on Mt. Fuji when thousands of people are on the mountain at one time? Fuji must have hundreds of possible points where an eruption might occur--vents, etc. Can they or do they monitor such a huge mountain completely?

It’s nearly impossible to predict what Mother Natire is going to do are capable of and this is a prime exemple, even thought my heart goes out to the vacationers caught in the aftermath of trump vocanic shower.

It is last time that the Kusatsu-Shirane mountain erupted 3,000 years ago. They say there is no sign of steam eruption until today, so they did not put seismometric sensors up there. There are so many long time quiet  volcanic mountains that have not erupted for thousands/hundreds of years like Kusatsu-Shirane in Japan. They say they can't put seismometric sensors on all quiet mountains because of money.

kwattToday 10:38 pm JST

It is last time that the Kusatsu-Shirane mountain erupted 3,000 years ago. They say there is no sign of steam eruption until today, so they did not put seismometric sensors up there. There are so many long time quiet volcanic mountains that have not erupted for thousands/hundreds of years like Kusatsu-Shirane in Japan. They say they can't put seismometric sensors on all quiet mountains because of money."

You seem to believe alot of what THEY say...I am not buying any recorded data from 3000 years ago....sorry dude!

One death so far but others are fighting for their lives. Pray they can make it.

You seem to believe alot of what THEY say...I am not buying any recorded data from 3000 years ago....sorry dude!

So you don't believe recorded science? What, you think the earth was formed in 7 days? You ever hear about geology? You should try treading about some.

It should be noted that the experts called in for the TV interviews openly shared their dismay at what happened yesterday. Despite their best efforts at monitoring, they had found no sign that this was about to happen there. A scary thought that there are still forces outside human control at work here, and despite all of our systems, we still seriously need new methods of early detection.

Interestingly Mt Mayon blew yesterday in the Philippines and a huge earthquake happened undersea off Alaska. As the earth's crust twists, I can sort of understand the opening of old wounds here and there, although many will say that such events are unconnected.

Hmmm, gotta be careful around volcanoes in Japan

next is fujisan.