At least fourteen folks have died and greater than fifty have been injured by the heavy snowfall that has been falling lately in Japan, particularly within the mountainous areas of the areas from Hokkaido, within the north, to Kyushu, the southernmost island. south of the Japanese archipelago.
The heavy snowstorms in Japan started on December 17, and since then some areas within the north and east of the nation have registered snow accumulation 3 times their annual common.
This Sunday, in some cities reminiscent of Engaru in Hokkaido, Oguni in Yamagata Prefecture and Gujo in Gifu Prefecture, snow layers have ranged from 96 centimeters to 1.20 meters.
As a consequence, the authorities have beneficial that the inhabitants not depart their houses and keep away from taking their autos, though in some areas site visitors has been closed as a result of poor situation of the roads, a lot of them frozen, particulars the general public channel NHK.
The meteorological authorities imagine that the heavy snowfall has already reached its peak, in order that within the following days solely intermittent heavy snowfalls are anticipated in mountainous areas, the place there may be nonetheless, nevertheless, a hazard of potential avalanches in areas with excessive snow accumulation.