According to JapanToday on January 19, local time, large-scale snow fell in northern and northeast Japan, resulting in a multiple car collision on the Tohoku Expressway in Ōsaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, killing one person and injuring 17.
According to police and fire sources, the accident occurred at noon of the same day, which trapped more than 130 cars and affected about 200 drivers and passengers.
In addition, about 50 vehicles were damaged in the accident.
Police speculate that the cause of the accident may be temporary blindness caused by bad weather.
By the evening of the 19th, the police and highway management had guided the trapped vehicles off the highway.
After being confirmed by the police, the victim of the accident was a 65-year-old man from nearby Iwate Prefecture.
According to the report, at about 11:55 a.m. on the 19th, the maximum winds near the scene of the accident recorded by the regional headquarters of the Japan Meteorological Agency in Sendai City reached a record of about 100 kilometers per hour, setting a record in January.
