Japan’s weather forecasters expected more heavy snow Thursday, a day after over 800 vehicles were stuck for hours on a central Japanese road.
The 6-kilometer (4-mile) traffic standstill occurred Wednesday after two trailers were trapped in the snow, forcing soldiers to intervene and aid remove the vehicles.
According to Japan’s Kyodo news agency, the Tohoku region might receive up to 60 centimeters (24 inches) of snow by Friday, with significant snow also anticipated on the northern island of Hokkaido and elsewhere.
The traffic jam occurred on the Meishin Expressway in Gifu prefecture. Two children in a stranded vehicle became sick and were taken to a hospital, Kyodo reported.
The Central Nippon Expressway Co. blocked the route and dispatched snowplows and tow trucks to clear the stalled vehicles, while also providing refreshments, drinking water, and portable toilets to those detained.
The Ground Self-Defense Force, Japan’s army, dispatched troops to assist in relief efforts at the request of the governor of Gifu.
Cold air from the west generated a cold front, resulting in severe snowfall in Japan’s north central area. The extreme weather also caused accidents in a variety of locales.
