Northern and western regions of Japan have been suffering from abnormal snowfalls for more than two weeks, which have led to a large-scale humanitarian crisis and numerous human casualties. As of Wednesday, February 4, 2026, the deaths of 35 people have been officially confirmed, most of whom were victims of accidents while clearing roofs or heart attacks due to excessive physical exertion. This was reported by AP, writes UNN.
Details
The natural disaster affected 15 prefectures of the country, with the snow cover exceeding 2 meters in the most affected areas, and reaching a record 4.5 meters in some mountain villages of Aomori. The worst situation is observed in Niigata Prefecture, where 12 deaths have been recorded.
Rescuers continue to find the bodies of elderly people buried in snow right near their homes; in particular, in the city of Uonuma, a man's body was found on the roof several days after his disappearance.
Please pay close attention to your safety, always wear a helmet or use a safety rope when clearing snow
The government has engaged the Self-Defense Forces to assist residents of isolated areas where snow walls have blocked entrances to houses at the second-floor level.
Threat of new storms and warming
Despite meteorologists predicting a temporary warming in the middle of the week, this creates new risks: the melting of huge masses of snow can provoke avalanches and destructive landslides. The authorities warned that another powerful cold front would hit northern Japan next weekend, bringing even heavier precipitation.
Currently, more than 390 people have been injured to varying degrees of severity, and dozens of houses in Aomori and Niigata prefectures have been damaged due to the weight of snow on their roofs. Operational headquarters are working in an intensified mode, trying to restore traffic on blocked highways before the start of a new wave of storms.
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