December 19, 2005
UK Times
Photo: Standing on the roof of his house, a resident clears snow at Motosu, central Japan, on Sunday December 18, 2005. Coldest air mass so far this season dumped snow along the Sea of Japan coast and some other parts of the country, weather forecasters said. (AP Photo/Kyodo News)
Record snowfall throughout much of Japan and the coldest December for a decade has caused at least six deaths and brought large parts of the country to a standstill.
The Meteorological Agency, blaming the “Arctic oscillation” effect, said that blizzards in the northwest were set to continue and that another metre of snow might fall in the next two days. A blanket of minus 45C (-49F) air has swept in from the Sea of Japan, dumping snow on parts of the south that had not seen a flake since the late 1980s.
Some areas suffered the biggest falls in 85 years. Six people were killed and 20 injured in the past week. One man was killed by a snow-removal machine, but most died trying to clear snow from the roofs of homes. Many fear that their houses, built to be flexible to withstand earthquakes, will not be able to cope with the snow.
The harsh weather could also cause serious problems for some residents in Niigata in the north who are still living in temporary homes after an earthquake a year ago.
More than 100 internal flights were cancelled and many train routes were closed.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,25689-1938984,00.html