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Eight Japanese high school students are feared dead after they were caught in an avalanche at a ski resort on Monday morning, local authorities in Japan say.
Seventy people were caught in the avalanche about 9.20am local time in the town of Nasu, in Tochigi prefecture.
At least 50 students and teachers from several high schools were having mountain-climbing lessons at the Nasu Onsen Family Ski Resort when they were hit by an avalanche.
Eight people are feared dead and two are in critical condition after an avalanche hit a group of high school students and teachers climbing in central Japan.
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At least 50 students and teachers from several high schools were having mountain-climbing lessons at the Nasu Onsen Family Ski Resort when they were hit by an avalanche.
BBC and Reuters reported that eight students were found with no vital signs while more than 30 people were injured.
Japanese authorities generally do not confirm victims have died until doctors have confirmed it.
Emergency services vehicles at the scene in Nasu. Photo: ANN News
Japanese media said the victims were part of a group of about 70 students who were on a mountain-climbing exercise at the Nasu Onsen family ski resort, 150 kilometres north of Tokyo.
A warning had been in place for heavy snow and possible avalanches at the time the disaster hit.
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According to the operator's website, the ski resort had been closed for the season following the warning of possible avalanches.
However local media reported on Monday that some of the resort facilities had been available for the high school climbing trip, despite the risk of avalanches.
On Monday, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged to "make every effort to respond to the disaster, while making it a top priority to rescue victims".
More than 100 troops have been deployed in a large-scale rescue effort, while officials are investigating whether more people are injured or missing.
The incident follows heavy snowfall in the region overnight.
About 33 centimetres of snow accumulated in the Nasu highlands between midnight and 9am, according to Japan Meteorological Agency data.
"We have avalanche incidents once or twice a year around here, but haven't had anything this big," a fire department official told Reuters news agency.
The heavy snow combined with warming temperatures had further raised the avalanche risk.