Heavy snowfall hits Tokyo, injuring more than 130 people and causing traffic chaos, Japan

Heavy snowfall hit Japan’s capital, Tokyo (population 14 million), on Monday, February 5, 2024, injuring more than 130 people and causing traffic chaos. This is the first significant snowfall to hit Tokyo since February 2022 and the city’s first heavy snowfall warning this year.

The highest recorded snowfall by Monday evening was in Maebashi, Gunma Prefecture, with 11 cm (4.3 inches), while central Tokyo and the city of Saitama each saw 8 cm (3 inches).

In mountainous regions to the north of Tokyo, snow accumulation was forecasted to reach up to 55 cm ( 21.6 inches). In central Tokyo, more than 1 cm (0.4 inch) of snow was recorded for the first time in two years.

The Tokyo Fire Department noted that more than 130 individuals were transported to hospitals by Tuesday morning (LT), following accidents related to the slippery conditions. These incidents involved residents ranging in age from 4 to 92 years old, thankfully, without any life-threatening injuries reported. Neighboring Kanagawa Prefecture saw five severe injuries and 34 minor injuries, while Saitama Prefecture reported 50 slight injuries.

Public transportation saw significant disruptions, with East Japan Railway Co. suspending parts of the Chuo Line and Ome Line, and halting all services on the Yokohama Line. Some 14 000 customers in Tokyo and nearby prefectures were left without power.

The Tokaido Shinkansen bullet trains operated at reduced speeds, affecting travel between Tokyo’s Shinagawa Station and Odawara Station in Kanagawa Prefecture. Both All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines were forced to cancel approximately 30 domestic flights, primarily affecting routes to or from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport.

References:

¹ Snowfall leaves more than 100 injured in Tokyo – Japan Today – February 6, 2024

Featured image credit: Kyodo (stillshot)