- 36 people are now presumed dead following volcanic eruption
- 24 bodies still remain on the mountain, while 12 have been recovered and pronounced dead
- Seismologists warn that another big eruption could take place in the coming days
- Mount Ontake began erupting Saturday, unleashing a cloud of ash that engulfed hikers
Mount Ontake, Japan (CNN) -- Five more lifeless bodies have been found on the slopes of Japan's Mount Ontake, bringing the total number of presumed dead in a volcanic eruption Saturday to 36.
Twenty-four bodies still remain on the mountain, while 12 have been recovered, identified and pronounced dead, Nagano Prefecture Police said Monday.
The search for more missing hikers has been suspended due to dangerous conditions at summit. Hydrogen sulfide gas is being spewed from the mountain, police said, putting rescuers in danger.
The volcano in central Japan unleashed a huge cloud of ash late Saturday morning that billowed down the mountainside and engulfed hikers in its path. Witnesses described hearing a sound like thunder when the eruption began.
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Desperate relatives
Relatives of the missing gathered near Mount Ontake over the weekend desperately seeking information. Among them was Kiyokazu Tokoro from nearby Aichi prefecture, whose son, Yuki, was hiking on the volcano with his girlfriend.
He said he knew they were near the summit at the time of the eruption because his son's girlfriend had sent a photo to a friend minutes beforehand.
"All I can do is beg for your help to get information," he told CNN. "Please help us."
Authorities estimated there were 200 to 250 hikers in the area at the time of the eruption. Most of them were reported to have managed to make the long trek down the mountain.
But some people remained trapped in several lodges on Mount Ontake, and others were missing altogether, local authorities said.
More than 350 rescue workers -- a mix of police, firefighters and military personnel -- began climbing two separate routes up the mountain on Sunday morning, authorities in the nearby village of Otaki said.
They said they observed 17-20 inches (40-50 centimeters) of volcanic ash covering the ground in some areas.
High alert
The Japan Meteorological Agency has raised the Volcanic Alert Level for Ontake from 1 to 3. That means the public is advised to not approach the volcano, the summit of which is at an altitude of 10,060 feet (3,067 meters).
The agency warned that another large eruption could take place in the next six days or so. Small continuous eruptions continued Sunday.
The volcano's plume of smoke and ash was reported to have disrupted air travel in Japan, causing delays at several airports.
Mount Ontake, the second tallest volcano in Japan, after Mount Fuji, is a popular destination for hikers, especially in the fall when the foliage's rich autumn colors are on display.
The last major eruption of Mount Ontake, which is about 125 miles (200 kilometers) west of Tokyo, took place in 1979, according to the Global Volcanism Program at the Smithsonian Institute.
That eruption lasted months, spewing out more than 200,000 tons of ash, the Japanese news agency Kyodo reported.
CNN's Brian Walker contributed to this report.
