Hundreds hospitalized in Japan after major Tokyo snowfall

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - Hundreds of people were hospitalized after the Japanese capital Tokyo received its highest snowfall in the past four years, according to local media on Friday.

The Tokyo Fire Department said 215 people, aged between 9 and 97, were admitted to health centers after they slipped and fell due to the ice and snow, Kyodo News reported.

Home to around 14 million people, Tokyo received around 10 centimeters (3.93 inches) of snow by late Thursday evening, which has since continued to disrupt traffic.

Temperatures dropped to minus 3.5 degrees Celsius (25.7 degrees Fahrenheit) in Tokyo, down 1.8 degrees from the previous day, according to meteorological authorities.

Local police said snowfall triggered around 77 traffic accidents in the city, also resulting in many injuries.

The weather also disrupted traffic on highways, leading to congestion and forcing the cancellation of some flights at Tokyo's Haneda airport.