Japan slammed by violent blizzard

A winter pressure pattern is expected to dump 80 centimeters (31.5 inches) of snow in some parts of the island of Hokkaido and bring strong winds and high waves in the region, the Meteorological Agency said on Wednesday.

Local media reported that about 350 train services and hundreds of flights were cancelled on the island, while around a third of schools were closed. The news agency Reuters reported "typhoon-strength winds," while two major airlines - All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines - were set to cancel at least 296 international and domestic flights, Jiji Press reported.

"We are struggling to remove snow from the street," an official in the city of Obhiro told news agency AFP. "As many as 50 vehicles may be trapped in the snow."

The weather agency also warned of serious snowfall in coastal regions.

Plane turbulence

Meanwhile an American Airlines flight bound for Dallas was forced to make an emergency landing in Tokyo after hitting severe turbulence created by the storm. Several people had to be taken to hospital with minor injuries.

Passengers said the plane dropped suddenly and was rocked for 30 to 40 seconds while flying across Japan from Incheon in South Korea.

Four passengers and one crew member were taken to hospital for observation and treatment, though none of the injuries were life-threatening, the airline said in a statement. Japanese national broadcaster NHK said one person suffered a broken bone.

High tides produced by the storm have also caused flooding in parts of Hokkaido and authorities issued evacuation advisories for several hundred people.

bk/rc (dpa, Reuters, AFP)