TOKYO: Heavy snow that hit the Hokuriku central Japan region has forced numerous vehicles to be stranded on expressways.

As of Sunday morning, the number of automobiles stuck in the snow stood at more than 1,000 on the Hokuriku Expressway in Fukui Prefecture and about 200 on the Tokai-Hokuriku Expressway in Toyama Prefecture. Early Sunday, the Fukui and Toyama prefectural governments asked the Ground Self-Defense Forces to dispatch troops to help them deal with the situation.

The number of stranded vehicles more than halved by Sunday evening on both expressways. But it remains unclear when the problems will be fully cleared.

According to the Fukui government and other sources, vehicles started to get stranded on Saturday afternoon on the Hokuriku Expressway, which links Niigata Prefecture, central Japan, and Shiga Prefecture, western Japan.

As of 8 pm Sunday (11 am GMT), a total of some 220 vehicles remained stranded on the inbound lanes between the Kanazu and Fukui-kita interchanges and the outbound lanes between the Fukui and Maruoka interchanges. The expressway has been closed to traffic on the sections between the Kaga Interchange in Ishikawa Prefecture, which is located between Fukui and Toyama, and the Fukui Interchange on the inbound lanes and between the Takefu Interchange in Fukui and the Kaga Interchange on the outbound lanes.

Rescuers, including 365 GSDF troops, are working to tow stalled vehicles and distribute food and fuel to people involved in the incident.

Three affected people complained of health problems and were sent to hospital.

The Fukui prefectural government applied the disaster rescue law to the city of Fukui, the prefecture’s capital, and two other cities. The Toyama government did so for three cities, including Tonami.

In Toyama, some 90 vehicles were stranded as of 7 pm on the section between the Fukumitsu Interchange and the Oyabe-Tonami Junction on the Tokai-Hokuriku Expressway, which connects Toyama and Aichi Prefecture, central Japan. Traffic has been suspended on the section.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, snowfall reached 52 centimeters in the city of Fukui in the 24 hours to 1 a.m. Sunday and 66 centimeters in Tonami in the 24 hours to 4 a.m. the same day.

JIJI Press