Freezing Temperatures Grip Japan and Korean Peninsula

A severe cold snap has hit Japan and the Korean peninsula, claiming at least one life and leaving thousands stranded. The weather authorities in both countries have issued warnings over freezing temperatures and gales, with some areas expected to experience their lowest temperatures for a decade.

Japan is bearing the brunt of the cold wave, with large parts of the country in the grip of severe cold. On Wednesday, chief cabinet secretary Hirokazu Matsuno reported one death due to the storm, and two other deaths were under investigation. Heavy snowfall is predicted in central Japan and the north-east, while winds could reach up to 126 kph across the country. In the 24 hours to Wednesday morning, a record 93cm of snow was recorded in the city of Maniwa.

In the Korean peninsula, temperatures of -25C were recorded near the border between North and South Korea on Tuesday. The mercury is expected to drop to -3C in Tokyo and -2C in Osaka, with subzero temperatures forecast for Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost main island, and as far south as Kyushu. South Korea’s meteorological administration issued a special “cold wave” warning on Tuesday, as temperatures dropped as low as -16 C in Seoul and -25 C near the North Korean border.

The cold front has also had a significant impact on transportation, with some rail passengers being left stranded for several hours on Tuesday, according to West Japan Railway. Domestic airlines said they would cancel more than 200 flights on Wednesday, and bullet train services in the country’s north-east will also be suspended. Strong winds may also be behind the sinking of a Hong Kong-registered cargo ship in the seas between western Japan and South Korea’s Jeju island on Wednesday morning.

In a bid to mitigate the effects of the cold snap, officials have urged people to avoid non-essential journeys and to watch out for icy road conditions. They have also warned that water pipes could freeze. Frigid conditions are also being experienced across the Korean peninsula, with North Korea issuing extreme cold weather warnings for the entire country. Temperatures are forecast to drop to “dangerous lows” in some of its poorest regions, with the capital, Pyongyang, recorded at -19C early Wednesday.

The cold wave has also had a devastating impact on other parts of the region. In Afghanistan, at least 124 people have died in the freezing conditions over the last two weeks, with parts of the country completely cut off by snow. It has also killed about 7,000 head of livestock. In China, parts of the country have seen their coldest days on record, with the town of Mohe, in the northern province of Heilongjiang, dropping to -53C. In northern and central Taiwan, temperatures also plummeted, with snowfall in some areas.