Record snowfall cripples life in parts of Japan

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - Japan is witnessing record snowfall that has disrupted the land and air traffic in parts of the country.

In a statement to Kyodo News, state meteorologists said heavy snowfall will continue to hit the Sea of Japan coast until Tuesday, meaning the country will continue to get snowfall from its northern end to the west.

The heavy snowfall has led to traffic jams, accidents, and disruptions in flight and train schedules.

Some cities in western Japan saw record snowfall, including the Hikone area of the Shiga province, which saw 68 centimeters (26.7 inches) of snow accumulate, while Asago in the Hyogo province got 71 cm (27.9 in).

As many as 10 people were injured during the snowfall, the agency said.

It cautioned people against “possible lightning and strong wind gusts due to extremely unstable atmospheric conditions in some places.”

Major roads, including the West Nippon Expressway, were closed for both outbound and inbound traffic until the snow was removed.