27 people are still missing. now, the hot ash volcanic gases and smoldering debris are still a threat to those living nearby. for more on this we're joined by will ripley in hong kong. i know you've been following the situation there quite closely. i have to say i've just been riveted by the pictures in an absolutely tragic way. it is hard to feature what some of these people have been through in the last few days. >> reporter: and just to know that as horrifying as what we are watching in the social media videos that are being shared and the footage of the aftermath, it pales in compare so what it is like undoubtedly on the ground surrounded by this devastation. particularly this cloud, these mushroom clouds of ash that were raining down on villages and people were running away in terror, screaming, the greatest danger coming from these pyroclastic flows, the river of mud that initially when the eruption happened on saturday thought was a flood. they thought it was flood waters and then realized in terrifying