Asia-Pacific News
Avalanche kills three as heavy snow hits Japan
Feb 2, 2012, 8:10 GMT
Tokyo - Three people have been killed in an avalanche in northern Japan, local media reported Thursday, as a powerful winter storm blanketed many parts of the country.
One man and two women were taken to hospital after being buried in snow when an avalanche hit a hot-spring resort in Akita prefecture late Wednesday, but they were later pronounced dead, public broadcaster NHK reported.
Heavy snow continued to hit wide areas of the country, causing the cancellation of some train services and flights and blocking roads, as the Meteorological Agency warned of more avalanches and traffic holdups.
The city of Nagoya in central Japan saw 15 centimetres of snow in the streets, the agency said. The severe weather conditions also caused delays to bullet train services between Tokyo and Osaka.
The agency predicted up to another 80 centimetres of snowfall on the Sea of Japan coast and in the north of the country by early Friday.
COMMENT
blog comments powered by DisqusLatest Headlines in Asia-Pacific
- 1. Chinese dissidents hail late democracy activist Fang Lizhi
- 2. China "worried" over planned North Korea rocket launch
- 3. Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi meets Karen rebels
- 4. Chinese schoolboy sells kidney to buy iPad, iPhone
- 5. Myanmar president invites Karen rebels to form party
Older Talkback
