Snow traps vehicles in Japan

Emergency workers clear snow from the expressway. Pic/AP

Weather officials in Japan predicted more heavy snow Thursday, a day after nearly 800 vehicles were trapped for hours on an expressway in central Japan. The 6-km traffic jam happened after two trailers got stuck in the snow Wednesday, forcing soldiers to come in and help free the vehicles. Japan's Meteorological Agency said as much as 60 cm of snow could fall in the Tohoku region through Friday, according to Japan's Kyodo news agency, with heavy snow also expected on the northern island of Hokkaido and in other areas.

The traffic jam occurred on the Meishin Expressway in Gifu prefecture. Two children in a stranded vehicle became sick and were taken to a hospital, Kyodo reported. The Central Nippon Expressway Co. closed the road and mobilised snowplows and tow trucks to clear the stranded vehicles, while delivering snacks, drinking water and portable toilets for those trapped.

60 cm
Amount of snow that could fall on Friday

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