Unusually heavy snowfall in Japan has claimed 30 lives over the past two weeks, officials confirmed Tuesday, highlighting the growing toll of one of the harshest winter storms in years.
Among the victims was 91-year-old Kina Jin, found beneath a three-meter pile of snow outside her home in Ajigasawa, Aomori Prefecture. Authorities said snow from her rooftop likely fell on her, causing suffocation; an aluminum shovel lay nearby.
The central government has deployed military personnel to assist residents in Aomori, the hardest-hit region, where remote areas are buried under as much as 4.5 meters (15 feet) of snow. Walls of snow reaching 1.8 meters are common even in the regional capital. Local workers tasked with clearing roads and homes are reportedly overwhelmed, international news agencies report.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi convened a special cabinet-level meeting Tuesday morning, instructing ministers to do everything possible to prevent further deaths and accidents. Officials warned that melting snow can fall from rooftops and other elevated surfaces, creating immediate hazards, particularly for elderly residents living alone.
Aomori Governor Soichiro Miyashita emphasized the urgent need for assistance, calling on troops to help vulnerable residents clear snow safely. He cautioned that life-threatening accidents, including roof collapses, remain imminent, underscoring the severe challenges faced by the region as temperatures fluctuate and accumulated snow begins to melt.
The Fire and Disaster Management Agency continues to coordinate rescue and relief operations, urging residents to exercise caution and avoid areas prone to falling snow or structural collapse.
