4 die in snow removal accidents in northeastern Japan

When old people go up on bar roofs then what could happen?

It is pretty obvious,isn’t it?

RIP

Roof avalanches can be mitigated or avoided altogether with better design. A new roof or building is easily worth it if it saves two lives.

(very few people in inaka have livestock, so these are probably sheds or storehouses, not "barns")

Roof avalanches can be mitigated or avoided altogether with better design. A new roof or building is easily worth it if it saves two lives.

Shirakawa go has the steep triangle design that seems to be extremely effective. Maybe that should be the new design for all roofs in places with heavy snowfall.

"In order to prevent houses from collapsing under the weight, many people including the elderly need to remove accumulated snow from their roofs..."

FALSE! Why won't this old wives' tale die out? Why is this popular misconception endlessly repeated? If it were true, then Akita Pref. would be full of collapsed houses -- but it is not. Where are the collapsed houses?

May 4 victims soul rest in peace. Snow removal work is so risky, especially for elders.

3RENSHO: Where are the collapsed houses?

You’re not wrong. There’s definitely an element of overkill and scaremongering. That said, a heavy snowfall is sometimes all it takes to consign some of these inaka tin shacks to oblivion.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/8deae62b0a72f98bbec6fb7bb6f86fdd3351a22e

“Early in the morning in Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture, a one-story house was found crushed by the weight of snow. A 55-year-old man who lives alone in this house was evacuated last night when a part of the roof collapsed and was not injured.”

I meant to say ‘barn roofs’ although the roof of a bar in a snowy area might also need to be cleared too...

Oyatoi: An excellent video. The narrative notes the snowfall in Yonezawa City is two times compared with a an average year. Perspective is lacking when the media blows one isolated incident out of proportion (and let's be realistic; that shack shown in the video is ready to collapse, snow or no snow!)

They should have snow removal service from the prefecture or just pay a little snow insurance for the senior citizens. I wish the senior citizens stop and just call a free or government sponsored snow removal service. Totally dangerous for old people to remove snow.

I agree with the points on snow removal services for seniors. In my article it points out as well they are afraid to ask for help because they don't know how to or afraid of who will show up. When you did something yourself your entire life it is difficult to let that go.

There are Snow Angel programs that are set up for the easier stuff but difficult roof snow removal should be contracted out.