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Over 200 cars stranded in Aomori snowstorm

6 Comments

Over 200 cars traveling on a national highway in Aomori were forced to a standstill by a snowstorm on Wednesday night, police said Thursday.

According to police, the trouble took place on the Shimokita Peninsula, a remote, axe-shaped peninsula located at the northernmost tip of Honshu, where large trucks and buses skidded on the road, blocking traffic. Several cars were then involved in collisions as visibility dropped to dangerous levels, Fuji TV reported.

Road traffic authorities said that over 200 cars became unable to move as a result. Aomori prefectural government authorities subsequently closed some sections of routes 4 and 279 and sent out snowplows to start clearing the roads.

By midnight, authorities designated eight improvised shelters for drivers who were unable to return home. The shelters were set up in local facilities such as school buildings. Reports have been received that around 200 people have made use of the shelters, according to Fuji TV.

It was also reported that Shingo Mimura, governor of Aomori Prefecture, made a request for assistance from the Japan Self-Defense Force.

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6 Comments
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At least these people are all safe even though stranded. Would hate to hear about driving into blinding snow and having accidents like in Florida driving into blinding smoke and fog. Stay safe everyone.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

That's where these luxury people carriers have their value.... Stranded? put it in parking, flatten those seats and zzzzzz

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The problem is that everyone runs out of gasoline/petrol after a few hours, so goodbye to heating.

Driving in those regions in winter you would need to carry extra jerry cans (metal) of fuel and extra blankets, food water, etc. with your emergency kit.

I have driven up in those parts and it is stunningly beautiful but human habitations are few and far between...

2 ( +3 / -1 )

These crappy "National roads" are nothing but single lane, pot-hole filled highways without shoulders or actual rest stops. They're dangerous to drive at night even in the summer as they barely have any lighting. Now add some heavy snow and darkness of night and this is the result. Seen better roads in small towns in Korea. Take it frome me, I live up here!

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Seen better roads in small towns in Korea. Take it frome me, I live up here!

I've seen them, even poor neighborhoods have good street lighting that put Minato and Setagaya wards to dimming shame!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

This story reminds me of the "snowmageddon" storm last Winter in the D.C. area: Quitting time rush hour with freezing rain changing to sleet, then changing to snow resulting in highways that were sheets of ice. Cars were stuck for five hours or longer. It was then that people started taking a look at whether the all-electric vehicles would have lasted. As it was, the hybrids had to switch to their gasoline engines because the batteries were draining.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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