Eight feared dead as avalanche hits Japanese students

Rescue workers climb toward a mountain for searching missing people after an avalanche near a ski resort in Nasu town, north of Tokyo, Japan, in this photo taken by Kyodo March 27, 2017. Mandatory credit Kyodo/via REUTERS

Eight people are feared dead and two were in critical condition on Monday after an avalanche hit a group of high school students and teachers climbing in central Japan.

It was not immediately clear how many of the victims were students, an official said.

The avalanche occurred on Monday morning near a ski slope in Nasu, 160 kilometres north of Tokyo, where 52 high school students and 11 teachers were climbing, a local government official said.

The eight showed no vital signs, officials said.

Japanese officials typically do not declare victims dead until a doctor has made a formal announcement.

"We have avalanche incidents once or twice a year around here, but haven't had anything this big," a fire department official said.