10 climbers die on Japanese mountains

Hokkaido's mountains and scenery are a big drawcard for climbers and tourists.
Ten climbers have died on two mountains in northern Japan, police said Friday.

Eight of the climbers who died on Mount Tomuraushi were in a group organized by a tourist company, according to Yuji Kikuchi, a spokesman for Hokkaido police. A ninth man was climbing alone. One more climber died on Mount Biei, Kikuchi said. Another 10 people survived on both mountains in Hokkaido, according to Kikuchi. Except for a 32-year-old survivor, all the climbers were in their late 60s, the spokesman said. The cause of their deaths was not available. The area has experienced heavy rain and gusty winds in the past two weeks due to a persistent area of low pressure, CNN’s meteorologist Jennifer Delgado said. The storm system has also brought flooding to North and South Korea, she added.

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