At least 30 people have died and another 324 injured due to heavy snowfall along the Sea of Japan coast over the past two weeks, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said Tuesday.
The highest death toll was seen in Niigata Prefecture, with 12 fatalities, followed by six in Akita Prefecture and four in Aomori Prefecture. Many deaths involved people attempting to remove snow from around their homes.
¡°I urge people to stay alert to weather information and to take steps to ensure their own safety,¡± said Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Tuesday morning at a ministerial meeting held regarding the heavy snowfall.
¡°As further significant snowfall is forecast for the weekend, I ask all ministers to take every possible measure to prevent damage and to provide any necessary support without hesitation,¡± she added.
The Sea of Japan coast continued to see heavy snowfall on Tuesday as a result of wintry pressure patterns bringing freezing cold air above the Tohoku region.
Aomori Prefecture is also being affected by a low pressure trough, resulting in especially intense snowfall. As of 2 p.m. Tuesday, the Sukayu observation point in the prefecture saw 4.54 meters of accumulated snow, the most in the nation. The city of Aomori saw 1.73 meters, which is around 2.5 times the average amount of snow the area usually gets this time of the year.
Aomori Gov. Soichiro Miyashita issued a disaster relief request to the Ground Self-Defense Force on Sunday night, given the historic level of snowfall in the prefecture.
¡°Life-threatening dangers are looming right in front of us, such as fatal accidents caused by snow falling from rooftops or the collapse of buildings,¡± he said at an emergency news conference on Monday.
The GSDF has since been on the ground in the prefecture, helping to remove snow from the rooftops for older residents living alone.
Temperatures are expected to rise slightly on Wednesday across the nation, which may cause the snow to melt, and those living in areas with heavy accumulation should be wary of possible disasters such as avalanches. However, temperatures are expected to drop again from Friday onward, with the possibility of another strong snowstorm especially in the northern parts of the country.
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