Rescuers were forced to suspend plans to recover at least two dozen bodies from near the summit of Mount Ontake in central Japan on Tuesday after increased seismic activity raised concern about the possibility of another eruption. (Sept. 30)
SHOTLIST:
AP TELEVISION – AP CLIENTS ONLY
Otaki, Japan – September 30, 2014
1. Wide of smoke billowing from top of Mount Ontake
2. Wide of Mount Ontake with Japanese Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF) helicopter
3. Focus shift from JGSDF rescuers to helicopter
4. Wide of JGSDF rescuers
5. Various of fire trucks entering Mount Ontake from Otaki entry point
6. STILL map of Japan showing locations of Mount Ontake and Tokyo
7. Various of JGSDF rescuers and Nagano prefecture police rescue workers
8. Various of smoke billowing from Mount Ontake
STORYLINE:
A JUMP IN SEISMIC ACTIVITY HAS FORCED JAPAN TO HALT ITS RECOVERY EFFORTS AT MOUNT ONTAKE FOLLOWING SATURDAY’S ERUPTION THAT KILLED DOZENS OF CLIMBERS –
JAPAN’S SELF DEFENSE FORCE HAD PLANNED TO BRING IN 180 RESCUE WORKERS USING A TRANSPORT HELICOPTER, TRIPLE THE NUMBER FROM THE PREVIOUS DAY, BEFORE THE SEARCH WAS SUSPENDED.
AND RESCUERS HAD HOPED TO RECOVER AT LEAST TWO DOZEN BODIES FROM THE AREA AROUND THE SUMMIT OF THE VOLCANO.
BUT SEISMOLOGISTS WORRY THE VOLCANO’S ERUPTIONS MIGHT NOT BE OVER.
MONDAY’S DEATH TOLL STOOD AT 36 WITH THE DISCOVERY OF FIVE ADDITIONAL BODIES, BUT RESCUERS HAVE ONLY BEEN ABLE TO AIRLIFT 12 BODIES OFF THE MOUNTAIN DUE TO DANGEROUS CONDITIONS.
MATTHEW BURGOYNE, ASSOCIATED PRESS
