Severe snowstorms that have been ongoing for weeks in Japan have paralyzed life in the country.
Qafqazinfo reports, citing the Japan Fire and Disaster Management Agency, that since January 20, 45 people have died and more than 500 people have been injured.
The highest casualties have been recorded in the Niigata region in the northwest. Here, 17 people have died and more than 170 people have been injured.
In Aomori and Hokkaido, as well as other northern cities, roads have been closed, public transportation has been halted, and numerous cars are stuck on snow-covered roads.
The Japan Meteorological Agency has issued a warning that snow will intensify further in the western and northern coastal regions.
In some areas along the Sea of Japan coast, the snow depth has reached 4.5 meters. In some residential areas, the 181-centimeter record measured in 1986 has been broken.
The government has instructed local authorities to mobilize all resources to prevent loss of life and accidents.