Heavy snow kills 8 in Japan 

The number of people who lost their lives due to snowfall in Japan rose to 8 and the number of injured to 45, Report informs, citing foreign media sources.
Four dead and 23 injured were previously reported.

Heavy snowfall hit northern and western Japan earlier this week. There were interruptions in electricity, cellular communications and delays in rail communications. As a result of the snowfall, 20-30 kilometers of traffic jams occurred on the roads, and it took about three days to clear them.

According to the forecasts of meteorologists, new heavy snowfalls will fall on the northern and western regions from December 23. Between 30 and 90 centimeters of snow can fall in some areas within 24 hours. Light snowfall was also seen in the region of Kyoto and Osaka, located in the very south, under the influence of the cyclone on Friday morning.

Citizens in regions with heavy snowfall were asked not to leave their homes unnecessarily and to meet their water and food needs in advance. To avoid congestion on national highways, the Hokuriku division of the Ministry of Transport did not rule out the possibility of closing some roads to traffic.