Two weeks of heavy snowfall has wreaked havoc in Japan, killing at least 30 people and injuring at least 200 others, according to Japan’s government, with local officials warning that the toll could rise.
Japan is known for wintry deluges, especially along the western coast and in northern prefectures. But especially heavy snowfall in parts of the country this winter has buried some people in their homes, caused deadly accidents and stranded travelers, according to local officials.
The death toll since Jan. 20 has reached 30 people, according to figures released on Tuesday by Japan’s interior ministry.
The harsh weather beginning late last month disrupted public transportation and stranded thousands of passengers at New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido. The government said that soldiers had been deployed to the hardest-hit prefectures to clear snow from the roofs of homes belonging to older people.
In Niigata Prefecture in central Japan, 12 people have died and dozens of others were injured because of the snow, officials said. One man in his 60s died after his home collapsed under the weight of accumulated snow, according to NHK, Japan’s public broadcaster.
In the northern city of Aomori, often called the world’s snowiest city, the accumulated snowfall on Sunday reached 183 centimeters, or about 72 inches, the highest since 1986.
“There are imminent life-threatening crises, such as fatal accidents caused by snow falling from roofs and house collapses,” Soichiro Miyashita, the governor of Aomori Prefecture, said at a news conference on Monday.
Four people have died so far in the prefecture, among them a 91-year-old woman who was found buried in snow with a shovel nearby, NHK reported. Videos circulating online have shown cars, trees and homes engulfed in huge mounds of snow.
The emergency comes ahead of a general election on Sunday to select members of Japan’s House of Representatives, and more snowfall is forecast for the weekend.
After an emergency meeting of ministers on Tuesday, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said that the government was implementing disaster-response measures and urged people to pay close attention to the weather forecast.
Forecasters said that additional snow showers were likely in the coming days across some of the country’s northern and western prefectures.
Nazaneen Ghaffar contributed reporting.
Isabella Kwai is a Times reporter based in London, covering breaking news and other trends.
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