Mount Ontake was packed

Mount Ontake was packed with walkers when it burst angrily to life a week ago. Many would have been there to witness the spectacular colours of the countryside as it turned to autumn. Local residents, government officials and rescuers standing by near the base of the mountain prayed in silence for one minute at 11:52 am (0252 GMT) Saturday, the exact moment when the volcano exploded seven days earlier. The volcano continues to belch steam and poisonous fumes, making a section near the crater inaccessible. shower curtain, shower curtain rod, shower curtain liner, shower curtain ring, bathroom scale, shower curtain decoration Meanwhile, a powerful typhoon looming off the Japanese coast looked set to batter the country over the coming days, a further reminder of the island nation's vulnerability to the wrath of nature. Typhoon Phanfone, located some 130 kilometres east of Minamidaito island, is predicted to slam into Japan with strong winds and high waves this weekend or later, the meteorological agency said. Packing gusts of up to 252 kilometres (156 miles) per hour, Phanfone moved northwest in the Pacific toward Japan's southwest at a speed of 15 kilometres per hour. That could force the recovery to be put off for days, heaping anguish on the families of those still missing, who are gathered at the foot of the volcano.