Blizzard conditions cause 134-car smash in Japan

One person was killed at 17 others were injured in the accident.

Damaged cars covered with snow after a multi-vehicle accident (Yuta Omori/Kyodo News via AP)

By Associated Press Reporter

January 19 2021 03:52 PM

One person was killed and at least 17 injured in a massive crash of at least 134 vehicles in blizzard conditions in Japan.

About 200 people were stranded in the crash, which forced the closure of the Tohoku Expressway in Miyagi prefecture, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said.

Public broadcaster NHK said authorities finished cleaning up the debris after about eight hours.

One person was killed in the crash (Yusuke Ogata/Kyodo News via AP)

The crash took place on the Tohoku Expressway in northern Japan (Yuta Omori/Kyodo News via AP)

Chief cabinet secretary Katsunobu Kato said a lorry rammed into a passenger car, triggering the pile-up over a stretch of road that spanned more than half a mile. He said one person was killed.

The disaster agency later said 17 others were injured, including two seriously.

Traffic authorities had imposed a 30mph speed limit at the time of the accident because of low visibility due to the snow storm, Mr Kato said.

Parts of northern Japan have been struck by heavy snow in recent weeks.

Online Editors