Japan suffered a spectacular blizzard late last week, during which 1,000 vehicles were trapped on a single highway for two days. More than 2 metres of snow fell over the city of Fujiwara over the course of three days, setting an all-time record for snow depth, with many neighbouring locations also seeing record-breaking depths. Local authorities had to distribute blankets and food to stranded motorists, with many still stuck at the weekend. Ten thousand homes also lost power as a result of the storm.
Winter has also taken a swipe on the other side of the Pacific, with swathes of the north-eastern US being blanketed in deep snow. Parts of New York state had up to 1 metre of snow, with 25cm in New York City’s Central Park by Thursday morning. Neighbouring Pennsylvania was also badly hit, with a pileup consisting of dozens of vehicles claiming the lives of two people.
Meanwhile, Fiji was battered by Cyclone Yasa last Thursday. The category 5 storm brought winds of up to 160mph, and extensive flooding. About 93,000 people were in the direct path of the storm, with a third of these put into emergency evacuation shelters. Four people are known to have died from the storm, but damage assessments are still ongoing, with the full impact yet to be known.
