Two men were rescued and taken to a hospital after 10 people were caught in an avalanche in Nagano Prefecture's Northern Alps on Saturday, NHK reported, with the other eight descending the mountain on their own.

The two who were rescued were conscious and were taken by helicopter to a hospital in the city of Matsumoto after the avalanche on the 1,888-meter Mount Kazafuki, near the village of Otari in Nagano Prefecture, the broadcaster quoted the authorities as saying.

The area received heavy snow Saturday morning and an avalanche advisory had been in effect since Friday.

Meanwhile, three climbers were caught in an avalanche on Tottori Prefecture's Mount Daisen on Saturday, with two still missing, NHK said. The area had also been hit by heavy snow over the last day, with an avalanche warning issued around 6:30 a.m. Saturday.