6 dead and 1,000 injured in fresh Japan snow storm
2/15/2014TOKYO — A fresh storm in Japan has left six dead and about 1,000 injured amid further disruptions to the country’s road and rail services following a deadly blizzard last weekend.
Three people died as a result of collapsing buildings, while three others were killed in traffic accidents, local media reported.
Some 1,000 people — including one in a coma — have been injured in snow-related accidents across Japan since the storm hit its western coast on Thursday.
Hundreds of flights, mainly on domestic routes, were cancelled on Saturday in several locations, including Tokyo’s Haneda airport. Transport services in and around the capital were also cancelled because of heavy snow.
The country’s meteorological service warned that heavy snowfall in the north-east could continue until Sunday. It also warned of strong winds and high waves along coastal areas, which may cause snowslides.
Last week, just under 30 centimeters (11.8 inches) of snow were recorded in Tokyo — the capital’s worst snowfall in nearly half a century.