HOKKAIDO (TR) – Japan’s northern areas have experience record snowfalls in recent weeks.
In the town of Fukushima, a 78-year-old man was rescued last week after enduring being buried in snow for 19 hours at his home, authorities said, reports HTB News (Jan. 30).
At around 10:30 a.m. on January 29, a female helper visiting the home called the fire department to report that the back door of the man’s house was open and snow was falling.
Firefighters responded to the call and immediately began searching the mound of snow that had formed on the property. They eventually found the man buried face-up in the snow.
The man was rushed to the hospital with hypothermia. However, his condition was not considered life-threatening.
About one meter of snow had accumulated on the roof of the house the previous evening. It is believed that the snow fell on him after he went outside.
“I heard a loud noise outside, so I went to check on the roof and got caught in the falling snow,” the man told police.
Authorities believe he was buried in the snow for approximately 19 hours before being rescued the next day.
