Japan volcano: Fears of second massive eruption as earthquakes increase and clouds of gas and ash billow from Mount Ontake

Officials have increased their estimates to 36 killed in Saturday’s blast

Plumes of smoke and ash billow from Mount Ontake as it continues to erupt in Otaki village, in Nagano prefecture, Japan (AP Photo/Koji Ueda)

Volcanic tremors and eruptions of gas and ash from Mount Ontake have raised fears of a second large explosion and forced rescue workers to abandon the mountain.

The earthquakes have risen to levels not seen since Saturday evening, the prelude to Ontake’s deadly eruption in which dozens were killed. The billowing column of noxious gas and ash issuing from the summit can be seen from tens of miles away.

“At this point, anything can happen,” Shoji Saito of the Japan Meteorological Agency said, though he stopped short of predicting another large eruption.

The stories of those among the roughly 250 survivors of the disaster have started to emerge.

Yuji Tsuno, a veteran mountain photographer, was near the summit at the time of the erruption. After taking pictures of the initial explosion as ash and debris rained down, he quickly took refuge in a nearby hut, he told TBS TV network.

On his way down, he spotted a man heading up. “I told him to go down with me, but he said he had to check on his child up there. I couldn't stop him,” Tsuno said.

The eruption caught seismologists by surprise. Although somewhat increased seismic activity had been recorded for about two weeks, there were no indications of a major eruption, said Satoshi Deguchi, a Japan Meteorological Agency official in Nagano prefecture.

Typical signs, such as increased seismic rattling or underground structural movement, were not detected.