Dozens of people have died in Japan after record-breaking snowfall blanketed northern regions of the country, while officials warned that warmer temperatures could trigger a new wave of accidents.
Authorities said 35 people had died in snow-related incidents across Japan since 20 January, with almost 400 injured, 126 of them seriously. Most of the deaths were among people who fell while trying to clear snow from their roofs or around their homes.
Perilous conditions created by heavy snowfall have also affected foreign travellers. On Wednesday, a 27-year-old man from Melbourne, identified by the ABC as Michael Hurst, died after collapsing and falling while skiing with several other people at the ski resort where he worked in Niseko on the northernmost main island of Hokkaido.
His death came days after a 22-year-old woman from Queensland – identified by Australian media as Brooke Day – died at a resort in Nagano prefecture after her backpack got caught in a ski lift and she was left hanging mid-air.
Most of the incidents reported over the past two weeks have occurred in areas near the Sea of Japan, which are experiencing unusually heavy snowfall due to a cold air masses arriving from the Arctic.
This winter has brought chaos to 15 of the country’s 47 prefectures (counties), with snow reaching 6.5 feet (2m) in depth in some places.
It left more than 1,700 homes without electricity in Aomori prefecture and caused the cancellation of regular and bullet train services.
The local governor, Soichiro Miyashita, said this week that emergency vehicles were struggling to get through to people in difficulty, forcing emergency workers carrying stretchers to search for them on foot.
“We anticipate some roads might get blocked off, and so we are consulting with services that can help with ambulances and fire trucks to get through to their destinations,” Miyashita told reporters.
Twelve snow-related deaths were reported in Niigata prefecture, including a man who was found collapsed on the roof of his home, and a 70-year-old who is believed to have died after falling from his roof.
While more snow is forecast in some areas this weekend, officials urged people to remain vigilant as it starts to melt.
Japan’s chief government spokesperson, Minoru Kihara, said melting snow would raise the risk of avalanches and make surfaces slippery.
“Please pay close attention to your safety, wearing a helmet or using a lifeline rope, especially when working on clearing snow,” Kihara told reporters.
Snow-related deaths and accidents are not uncommon in Japan. Last year 68 people died over six winter months, according to officials.
