Heavy Snow Continues to Affect People’s Life; Causing Blackout at 14,000 Households in Ishikawa Pref.

The Yomiuri Shimbun

20:30 JST, December 23, 2023

Heavy snow continued Saturday in the areas mainly along the Sea of Japan as strong cold air flew into the Japanese archipelago. Although snowfall has passed its peak, snowfall is expected to continue in Hokuriku and other regions on Sunday and there is also a risk of heavy snow in Hokkaido. The Japan Meteorological Agency is warning of the snowfall’s impacts on traffics and avalanches.

On Saturday, especially, in Ishikawa Prefecture, trees fell one after another, and Wajima in the prefecture saw the heaviest ever snowfall in December. According to the prefectural government, 197 households were left stranded, and 82 of them have no prospect of returning to normal situation.

The snowfall caused blackout at total about 14,100 households in the prefecture, including Wajima, on Saturday, and some of them were still without electricity even at night.

Some people have fallen and sustained injuries.