More than 130 vehicles were involved in a heap on a Japanese highway, and one was left dead after heavy snow covered wide areas in northern and northeastern Japan.
The fatal crash happened on Tuesday around noon on Tohoku Highway in Osaki, Miyagi Prefecture. One person was killed and ten others were taken to hospital, police and firefighters said. Heavy snow is still falling in large parts of northern and northeastern Japan, causing unfavorable driving conditions.
Videos shown on national television show the extent of the damage done when about 130 vehicles were piled up along the highway.
Rescue crews are rescuing more than 200 passengers trapped in their vehicles on a 900-meter highway. Highway operators said visibility is near zero.
The Japanese Meteorological Agency has predicted more extreme weather forecasts, with the Hokuriku, Tohoku and Hokkaido regions expected to pick up avalanches of 50 centimeters, 40 cm and 30 cm respectively.
Eastern Japan Railway has suspended some of its shinkansen bullet train services in the Tohoku region due to inclement weather.
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