Dozens dead after record snow in Japan and officials warn warmer weather will be treacherous

"Dozens of people have died in Japan after record-breaking snowfall blanketed northern regions of the country, while officials warned that warmer temperatures could trigger a new wave of accidents. Authorities said 35 people had died in snow-related incidents across Japan since 20 January, with almost 400 injured, 126 of them seriously. Most of the deaths were among people who fell while trying to clear snow from their roofs or around their homes."

"Perilous conditions created by heavy snowfall have also affected foreign travellers. On Wednesday, a 27-year-old man from Melbourne, identified by the ABC as Michael Hurst, died after collapsing and falling while skiing with several other people at the ski resort where he worked in Niseko on the northernmost main island of Hokkaido. Japan's record-breaking snowfalls in pictures His death came days after a 22-year-old woman from Queensland identified by Australian media as Brooke Day died at a resort in Nagano prefecture."

"Most of the incidents reported over the past two weeks have occurred in areas near the Sea of Japan, which are experiencing unusually heavy snowfall due to a cold air masses arriving from the Arctic. This winter has brought chaos to 15 of the country's 47 prefectures (counties), with snow reaching 6.5 feet (2m) in depth in some places. It left more than 1,700 homes without electricity in Aomori prefecture and caused the cancellation of regular and bullet train services."

Record-breaking snowfall blanketed northern Japan, causing dozens of deaths and nearly 400 injuries since 20 January. Authorities reported 35 snow-related deaths and 126 serious injuries. Many fatalities occurred when people fell while clearing snow from roofs or around homes. Foreign travellers were affected, including a 27-year-old Melbourne man who died after collapsing while skiing in Niseko, and a 22-year-old woman from Queensland who died after her backpack became caught in a ski lift in Nagano. Unusually heavy snow from Arctic cold air masses hit areas near the Sea of Japan, reaching up to 2 metres in places and disrupting electricity and train services.

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