Heavy snowfall in Japan leaves at least 14 dead and more than fifty injured

Dec. 25 (EUROPA PRESS) –

At least fourteen people have died and more than fifty have been injured by the heavy snowfall that has been falling these days in Japan, especially in the mountainous areas of the regions from Hokkaido, in the north, to Kyushu, the southernmost island. south of the Japanese archipelago.

The heavy snowstorms in Japan began on December 17, and since then some regions in the north and east of the country have registered snow accumulation three times their annual average.

This Sunday, in some cities such as Engaru in Hokkaido, Oguni in Yamagata Prefecture and Gujo in Gifu Prefecture, snow layers have ranged from 96 centimeters to 1.20 meters.

As a consequence, the authorities have recommended that the population not leave their homes and avoid taking their vehicles, although in some areas traffic has been closed due to the poor condition of the roads, many of them frozen, details the public channel NHK.

The meteorological authorities believe that the heavy snowfall has already reached its peak, so that in the following days only intermittent heavy snowfall is expected in mountainous areas, where there is still, however, a danger of possible avalanches in areas with high snow accumulation.