Eight Feared Dead in Japan Avalanche

Eight people, including students, were feared dead Monday after a group of high-schoolers and teachers who were climbing in Japan were hit by an avalanche. Two others were listed in critical condition from the incident in which 52 high-school students and 11 teachers were on a ski slope near Nasu, about 100 miles north of Tokyo. It is not yet clear how many of the injured or killed are students. The region is known to be prone to avalanches, but still surprised authorities. “We have avalanche incidents once or twice a year around here, but haven’t had anything this big,” a fire department official told news agencies.