Rescuers have found 30 hikers in critical condition, feared dead, near the peak of Mount Ontake, after Saturday's sudden volcanic¹ eruption².

周六日本御岳火山突然喷发，救援人员已经发现有30名山顶附近的登山者处境危急，可能已经死亡。

The hikers were not breathing and their hearts had stopped, reports said. Final confirmation³ of death in Japan always comes via a medical examination.

报道称这些登山者们已经停止呼吸和心跳。在日本，最终的死亡确认要在医生检查后才会发布。

About 250 people were trapped on the slopes, but most have got down safely.

约250人曾被困在山上，但大多数人已经安全返回。

The volcano, about 200km west of Tokyo, erupted at about noon on Saturday, spewing ash and rocks.

这座位于东京以西200公里的火山在周六午间喷发出大量火山灰和石块。

Ordinarily it is a popular place to see autumn foliage⁴.

此地本是观赏秋叶的名胜。

Japan is one of the world's most seismically⁵ active nations but there have been no fatalities⁶ from volcanic eruptions⁷ since 1991, when 43 people died at Mount Unzen in the south-west.

日本是世界上地震最频繁的国家，但自1991年西南部的云仙岳喷发死亡41人以来，再未有人在火山爆发中遇难。