Record snowfall has fallen to Hokkaido Island, a major northern island in Japan, disrupting traffic, causing airport closures and delayed delivery.
The Hokkaido government said record snowfall has been observed, especially in the eastern region of the island. Obihiro and Kushiro received city offices seeking dozens of help from drivers whose vehicles were stagnant in the snow.
Heavy snow and traffic disruptions came to life like the popular snow festival began on the southern Hokkaido billboards, but the city was not facing any major disruption.
TV footage showed residents shoveling the snow and passengers pushing a deadlocked vehicle. So far, no injuries or major damages have been reported.
Obihiro detected a record 129cm (4 feet) of snowfall on Tuesday.
The Japanese meteorological agency said two powerful low-pressure systems are moving both sides of the Japanese archipelago, sending cold air to the region.
The agency predicted up to 100cm (3.3 feet) of snowfall in northwestern Japan, and further forecasts for Hokkaido to 50cm (1.6 feet) from the next 24 hours to the evening of Wednesday.
The province said some highways and major roads have been closed and train services in affected areas have been suspended. The runway was closed due to snow at Obihiro and Kushiro airports, but dozens of flights have been cancelled both inside and outside Hokkaido, affecting thousands of people.
According to the prefecture, about 370 schools cancelled their classes on Tuesday.
Snow also caused the closure of post offices and other distribution services, delaying delivery within Hokkaido and to destinations in Japan.
Hokkaido officials have called on residents and visitors to carry shovels and warm clothes to their cars in case they stagnate in the snow.
