Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency announced on Monday that 27 people have died over the past 14 days in accidents caused by heavy snowfall and harsh winter conditions.
According to Japan’s public broadcaster NHK, the hardest-hit areas include Niigata, Akita, and Hokkaido.
Twelve deaths were reported in Niigata Prefecture along the Sea of Japan coast, while six people were killed in Akita Prefecture in northern Japan.
Three additional fatalities were recorded in Hokkaido, the country’s northernmost island.
NHK also reported that two people died in Aomori Prefecture, while one death was confirmed in each of the prefectures of Iwate, Yamagata, Nagano, and Shimane.
In addition to the fatalities, a total of 290 people were injured in snow-related incidents, some of them suffering serious injuries.
Authorities have urged residents, particularly in heavy snowfall regions, to take extra precautions as severe winter weather continues to affect large parts of the country.
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