At least 46 people have died and 558 others have been injured over the past three weeks due to heavy snowfall in Japan.
Operative Information Center-OMM reports that The Japan Times released these figures citing data from local emergency and rescue services.
The majority of the fatal accidents occurred when snow masses fell from roofs onto individuals or during snow removal operations. Northern regions of the country have been particularly hard-hit by the snowfall, which has been ongoing since late January. Furthermore, the adverse weather conditions have caused significant disruptions to transportation networks across the affected prefectures.
According to the country's meteorological service, the snow depth in Aomori City, located in northern Honshu, has reached 1.3 meters. Japan frequently experiences heavy snowfall in its northern and western coastal regions due to cold air masses from Siberia crossing the Sea of Japan. These regions, often referred to as "snow country," are equipped with specialized infrastructure, yet the intensity of the current winter season has overwhelmed local maintenance efforts and led to a spike in weather-related casualties.
