日本因火山爆发死亡人数上升到48人

The death toll from Saturday\'s massive volcanic eruption in central Japan has risen to 48, after rescuers found 12 more bodies on Wednesday.

Authorities in Nagano prefecture say the bodies were found near the ash-covered summit of Mount Ontake, which was packed with hikers at the time of the eruption.

Hundreds of police and soldiers aided by helicopters continue searching the mountain. Authorities believe an unknown number of people are still missing.

Hundreds of people were stranded on the peak after it erupted Saturday without warning around noon, local time. Most made their way down Saturday evening.

Many of the survivors suffered cuts, bruises and bone fractures, likely after being hit by rocks flying out of the volcano. Toxic fumes and the threat of further eruptions have complicated search efforts.

Mount Ontake is popular among hikers in the autumn.  The volcano, which sits on the border of Nagano and Gifu prefectures west of Tokyo, had its last major eruption in 1979.

长野县当局表示，这些遗体是在被火山灰覆盖的御岳山山峰附近找到的。火山喷发时，那里挤满了徒步旅行者。

成百上千名警察和军人在直升机的帮助下，继续在山上搜索。当局认为仍然有数目不详的人失踪。

御岳山星期六中午时分在没有预兆的情况下突然喷发，当时有数百人被困在山峰上。他们当中大多数人在星期六晚间下山。

幸存者当中很多都有遭受割伤，撞伤和骨折，可能是被火山喷发带起的石块击中造成的。有毒烟雾和再次喷发的威胁，使得搜索工作变得困难。

御岳山是秋季远足者喜爱的地方。这座座落在东京以西长野县和岐阜县交界处的火山上次喷发是在1979年。