At least 24 people have died and dozens have been injured, while thousands of flights have been delayed due to severe weather conditions in Japan, the United States, and Canada. In Japan, authorities reported on Saturday that the heavy snowfall recently experienced in northern Japan and other areas resulted in the deaths of 13 individuals and injuries to more than 80, leaving over 10,000 homes without electricity. The meteorological agency warned that snowstorms and high waves in northern Japan and along the Sea of Japan coast could lead to snow accumulation of up to 60 centimeters, according to Reuters. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency stated that by late Saturday afternoon, over 30 people had sustained serious injuries, and more than 50 had minor injuries. The Japan Broadcasting Corporation reported that train and flight services were disrupted in northern Japan, with some areas in the central and western regions experiencing traffic disturbances.
In the United States, a powerful winter storm has caused at least 11 deaths nationwide as temperatures dropped, winds intensified, power lines fell, and outages occurred. CNN reported that hundreds of thousands of Americans were left in the dark after powerful winds and heavy snow from the winter storm damaged power lines, posing risks to drivers across the country. The severe storm hit the Midwest and parts of the East with heavy snowfall, blizzards, and even flooding along the Northeast coast, with no end in sight until after Christmas. Since last Wednesday, at least 11 people have died in four states due to life-threatening weather conditions. Lieutenant Candis Prechers, a spokesperson for the highway patrol, noted that three individuals died in separate car accidents in north-central Kansas City, Missouri, related to the bad weather. Governor Mike DeWine reported that four people died in car accidents in Ohio, where others were injured. Kentucky reported three storm-related fatalities, two from car accidents and another individual without a fixed address in Louisville, as stated by the Kentucky governor. Police found the man's body outside with no clear signs of trauma.
The winter storm affecting much of the United States has caused blizzards, freezing rain, flooding, and life-threatening cold temperatures. More than 5,700 flights within or outside the United States were canceled on Friday, according to FlightAware. In Canada, strong winds, freezing rain, and heavy snowfall forced schools to close on Friday and left homes without power. Air travel was affected as numerous flights were canceled after a fierce winter storm swept across the country, prompting Canadian authorities to urge citizens to stay home as weather conditions worsened. Meteorologist Steve Flisveider from Environment Canada forecasted that the storm is expected to impact approximately two-thirds of Canadians as it crosses the country's two most populous regions, Ontario and Quebec, on its way to the Atlantic coastal areas.
