8-school children killed when an avalanche hit a popular Japanese ski resort.

Dailymail is reporting that eight school children are feared dead and another 30 have been injured when an avalanche hit a Japanese ski resort.

The avalanche occurred on Monday morning near a ski slope in Nasu, 100 miles north of Tokyo, where 52 high school students and 11 teachers were mountain climbing.

Authorities say eight Japanese high school students have been found unconscious and are showing 'no vital signs'.

Another three people have been reported missing following the incident.

The avalanche hit the Nasu Onsen Family Ski Resort in Tochigi prefecture north of Tokyo Monday morning. Nasu Onsen Family is a small ski hill on the slopes of Mount Nasu.

Students from various high schools were participating in a climbing event there that began Saturday and was supposed to conclude around noon Monday, a person connected with one of the participating schools say

Officials are investigating whether more people are missing or injured.


There was an unusually heavy snowfall in the region over the past two days and avalanche warnings had been in effect.

On Monday, weather conditions were reported to be bad. About 30cm of snow had accumulated in the highlands since Sunday.  

Some pic of the ski resort, courtesy of AFP/Getty /Dailymail.