Heavy snowfall kills 46, injures hundreds in northern Japan

The death toll from nearly three weeks of heavy snowfall across Japan has risen to 46, with hundreds more injured, says new data by the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.

The agency reported that 558 people have been injured as persistent snowfall since late January has blanketed large parts of the country, burying northern communities and triggering widespread traffic disruption. The impact has been particularly severe along coastal regions facing the Sea of Japan, where snowfall has been heaviest.

Police and local officials said many of the fatalities occurred during snow-clearing efforts. In several cases, large accumulations of snow slid off rooftops and struck residents below, while others were injured or killed after falling while attempting to remove snow from buildings and walkways.

Northern Japan has been among the hardest-hit areas. In Aomori, a major regional hub in the north of the country, residents are contending with approximately 1.3 metres—more than four feet—of snow on the ground, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

By Vafa Guliyeva