Mount Kusatsu-Shirane, just under 100 miles northwest of Tokoyo, erupted on Tuesday, sending debris flying over a kilometer that killed one Japanese soldier that was taking part in training and critically wounding at least 11 others, some of them soldiers as well.
Japan is one of the most seismically active nations in the world, sitting on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” which means volcanic eruptions and earthquakes are common. Officials are still investigating and originally thought an avalanche had caused the carnage but later corrected that account. Conflicting reports reported there was an avalanche, but apparently it was mainly debris the size of “lunch boxes” raining down on skiers and riders. But that is difficult to discern from the video, below.
Nearly 80 people were trapped in a gondola station near the top of the resort Tuesday afternoon but were later brought down. Kusatsu-Shirane has erupted before, the last time in 1983.
