hypothermia

大型連休の真っ直中に、北アルプスで複数の遭難事故が起きました。うち小蓮華山で発見された北九州市の医師・獣医師のパーティーは６人全員の死亡が確認されました。いずれも低体温症だったとのことで、「軽装備が事故につながった。」というのが警察の見方です。
うちの父親はいわゆる「山屋」だったのですが、「春が一番怖い」とよく言っていました。「低体温症」（hypothermia）は医学用語ですが、そんな父から教わっていた単語でもありました。結局、彼の不肖の息子は『日本百名山』にははまりませんでしたが...（UG）

8 climbers die in stormy weather in Northern Alps

NAGANO (Kyodo) -- At least eight mountaineers in different parties were confirmed dead Saturday after climbing the Northern Alps in central Japan in bad weather, police said.

Nagano prefectural police said a party of six men were found collapsed near Mt. Korenge by a climber early Saturday. They were transported by helicopter to a nearby village and confirmed dead.

They are believed to be a group of men in their 60s and 70s from Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture who went missing Friday.

The police said the six were not dressed for rain, with only light clothing and are believed to have died of hypothermia.

Also on Saturday morning, the police received a call telling them a woman was found lying unconscious on a path near the 2,670-meter Jiigatake Peak. She was also airlifted and later confirmed dead. The police identified the climber as Sumako Sowa, 62, from Osaka who attempted to climb the peak alone.
The woman had called a mountain lodge on Friday evening saying she was unable to move in a snowstorm but had lost contact since then.
The police had been searching for the seven from the early morning in areas around the 2,932-meter Shiroumadake Peak, where stormy weather had been reported since Friday afternoon.
Gifu prefectural police, meanwhile, said they found a party of six also from Fukuoka Prefecture who had lost contact earlier and transported them to a mountain lodge but that one of them -- 71-year-old Kazuki Yoshino -- died of hypothermia. The other members -- three men and two women -- were also suffering from hypothermia but are not in life-threatening condition, the police said.

May 05, 2012(Mainichi Japan)
http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20120505p2g00m0dm007000c.html