Japan - 100 die in snow-related accidents

[makoto]

100 die in snow-related accidents

A deadly cold wave has claimed the lives of more than 100 people in Japan this winter.

As of Thursday, snow-related accidents have killed 101 people in 13 prefectures since December. Most of the fatalities took place in heavy snowfall prefectures on the Sea of Japan, including 19 deaths in Niigata, and 18 in northernmost Hokkaido.
The death toll is nearly 2.5 times the number in the same period last year...

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 06:55:00 +0900(JST)
(JST: UTC+9hrs.)
nhk world http://www.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/04_05.html

[makoto]

Re: Japan - 100 die in snow-related accidents

Decline in construction firms slows snow removal

Snow removal along the Sea of Japan coast is taking longer than expected because of a shortage of manpower and snowplows, forcing local governments to send their own officials out into the field.

The number of construction firms engaged in snow-clearing work has decreased, as a number have gone bankrupt or reduced the scale of their business due to the sluggish economy and cutbacks in public works.
In January, the maximum depth of snow hit a record at 37 observation points across the nation. In Uonuma, Niigata Prefecture, snow piled up more than four meters high.
In Tottori Prefecture, heavy snowfall at the year-end caused a bumper-to-bumper tie-up of about 1,000 vehicles on National Highway No. 9. "The weakening of the fundamental business strength of construction firms engaged in snow removal caused the [traffic] problems," a source said....

The Yomiuri Shimbun http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T110204004648.htm

[makoto]

Re: Japan - 100 die in snow-related accidents

Snow falls along Japan's Pacific coast

A wide area of Japan's Pacific coast is being hit by snow brought on by a low pressure system.

The Meteorological Agency says up to 10 centimeters of snow had fallen in parts of western Japan as of 11 AM on Friday. Tokyo has also been blanketed with a light covering of snow that will continue to fall through the day....

Fri, 11 Feb 2011 10:25:00 +0900(JST)
(JST: UTC+9hrs.)
nhk world http://www.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/11_10.html