427cm Heavy Snowfall in Japan... 1300 Deaths Reported Amid Cold Wave in Taiwan

Eight Die in Japan While Clearing Snow
In Taiwan, 78 Die in a Single Day Despite Above-Freezing Temperatures

Recent record-breaking heavy snowfall and cold waves have caused numerous deaths in Japan and Taiwan. In Japan, eight people died while clearing accumulated snow, and in Taiwan, over 1,300 people lost their lives due to the cold wave. On the 11th, Mainichi Shimbun reported, citing the Japan Fire and Disaster Management Agency, that since the 4th, seven people aged between 60 and 90 died while performing snow removal work in Fukushima Prefecture, Niigata Prefecture, Toyama Prefecture, Nagano Prefecture, and Fukui Prefecture. The total number of injured was reported as 54.

Recent record-breaking heavy snowfall and cold waves have caused numerous deaths in Japan and Taiwan. In Japan, eight people died while clearing accumulated snow, and in Taiwan, where the cold wave struck, about 1,300 people lost their lives. Photo by EPA and Yonhap News

The deceased were mainly elderly. In Nagano Prefecture, an 85-year-old man was found buried in snow while clearing snow on the same day. In Niigata Prefecture, a man who appeared to have had a seizure during snow removal was found dead. Additionally, on the 8th, a 77-year-old woman was found dead in snow piled up in her yard in Fukushima, and a 73-year-old man slipped and died while removing snow from a roof in Niigata Prefecture. Amid continuous incidents and accidents caused by the heavy snowfall, the Yamagata Shinkansen high-speed train suspended operations on the same day, and Mainichi reported that there is a possibility of delays on some Shinkansen sections on the 11th as well.

In Aomori Prefecture, the northernmost part of Japan, 427 cm of snow had accumulated as of 5 p.m. that day. The snowfall in Tsunan Town, Niigata Prefecture, where fatal accidents frequently occur, was 329 cm, and in Okuramura, Yamagata Prefecture, it was 304 cm. The Japan Meteorological Agency stated regarding the heavy snowfall in Hokkaido that "the frequency of heavy snowfall is estimated to have increased by about 1.4 times due to global warming." NHK warned, "On the 12th, rain is expected due to warm and humid air, and in places with heavy snow accumulation, avalanches may occur due to rising temperatures, so caution is necessary."

The Japan Meteorological Agency stated regarding the heavy snowfall in Hokkaido that "the frequency of heavy snowfall is estimated to have increased by about 1.4 times due to global warming." Photo by EPA and Yonhap News

Not only in Japan but also in Taiwan, over 1,300 people have died due to the winter cold. Local media in Taiwan reported that approximately 1,345 people died within about a month due to this winter cold wave. Especially, from midnight to 9 p.m. on the 8th alone, 78 people lost their lives. This is said to be the highest number of deaths in a single day caused by a cold wave.

Taiwan lies along the Tropic of Cancer, and its average winter temperature is relatively mild, around 15 degrees Celsius. Accordingly, heating systems like ondol are not commonly installed in residential buildings. However, the recent unusual cold wave, with temperatures dropping to around 5 degrees Celsius and a wind chill of about 1 degree Celsius, has caused significant damage.

In South Korea, the wind chill temperature this winter has dropped as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius, making it colder than Taiwan. However, until the previous day, there were only 277 cases of cold-related illnesses and six suspected deaths due to cold. This is interpreted as relatively less damage because individuals have a high level of adaptation to repeated severe cold every year, and the government has continuously implemented related measures.