Record snowfall in Japan paralyzes traffic, kills 63
(AP)
Updated: 2006-01-09 10:23

Record snowfall in northern and western Japan paralyzed traffic as soldiers were deployed to shovel snow in isolated areas on Sunday.

Japan's military dispatched 113 troops to Nagano Prefecture (state) and another 36 to Niigata Prefecture over the weekend to shovel snow in isolated areas and other places that needed help, said Shinji Ono, a spokesman for Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force, adding that more soldiers may be sent to the northern prefecture of Akita.

A woman walks along a path made through the snow in Tokamachi, central Japan January 7, 2006. Troops and volunteers in Japan shovelled snow from roads and roofs on Sunday as the death toll from the country's heaviest snowfall on record rose to more than 60. [Reuters]

Nagano is 179 kilometers (112 miles) northwest of Tokyo and Niigata 256 kilometers (160 miles) also northwest of the capital.

The cold spell has engulfed much of Japan since December.

Kyodo News agency reported that heavy snow has killed 63 people in Japan and injured 1,040 since December, citing its own tally as of late Saturday. Many died while shoveling snow and two women died last week after a house collapsed under the weight of the heavy snowfall.

Japan's Self-Defence Ground Force members dig out a car in Iiyama, central Japan January 7, 2006. [Reuters]

The Meteorological Agency said that 42 points across Japan have seen record snowfall for January.

East Japan Railway Co., said that some night trains were canceled and bullet trains going to Akita were delayed on Sunday.

On Japan Airlines Corp.'s Web site, customers were warned that some flights going to northwestern Japan may be delayed, returned or diverted.

The Meteorological Agency warned of avalanches as more snow was expected on the west coast of Japan.