During the recent snowstorm, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency reported that over 30 persons sustained serious injuries, and over 50 suffered minor injuries.
Recent snowfall in numerous regions of Japan has resulted in 13 deaths, over 80 injuries, and the loss of power to over 10,000 homes.
By late Saturday afternoon, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency reported that over 50 people had suffered minor injuries and over 30 had suffered serious injuries.
According to the Meteorological Agency, powerful waves and snowstorms could produce snow as deep as 60cm (2 feet) along the coast of northern Japan.
According to NHK, train and airplane services were disrupted in northern Japan, while traffic was disrupted in parts of the country’s middle and western regions.
Snow began falling on the weekend of the 17th of December, leaving hundreds of vehicles stuck and three people dead in the prefectures of Niigata, Yamagata, and Aomori in northwestern Japan.
An 85-year-old man died after falling into a ditch while shoveling snow in Kashiwazaki, the hardest-hit village in the port city of Niigata.
In Hokkaido, a 63-year-old woman was crushed between two trucks while attempting to escape the snow, while in Akita, according to official accounts, a 73-year-old man fell to his death while removing snow from a rooftop.
Self-Defense Force members assisted in clearing Niigata’s highways, where hundreds of cars and delivery trucks were backed up for more than 12 kilometers (20km).
Local volunteers brought food and other needs to people stranded in their automobiles.
Beginning the week with a small improvement in the weather, road closures were lifted on Tuesday.
This weekend, however, another snowstorm hit the region, bringing the death toll to 13.
