Heavy snow is affecting wide areas of Japan, an avalanche at a hot spring resort in Akita Prefecture, northern Japan, has killed 3 people.

A 40-meter stretch of snow on a mountain slope near Tamagawa hot spring in Senboku city collapsed at around 5PM Wednesday, crushing 3 structures housing bedrock baths.

3 people who were in the baths--a man and two women--were rescued and taken to a hospital, but were later pronounced dead.

The structures, which are about a 15-minute walk from an inn, were reportedly buried under 1.5 meters of snow.

Snow around the hot spring was 2.87 meters deep as of 6PM Wednesday.

Heavy snow has stranded more than 100 cars on a main road in Aomori Prefecture, northern Japan.

Prefectural officials say traffic has been stalled since Wednesday evening on a nearly 40-kilometer stretch.

The stranded cars include a school bus carrying 6 junior high students. All of them were evacuated to a nearby building.

The prefecture has mobilized about 20 plows to clear snow and free the vehicles.

Aomori Governor Shingo Mimura has asked the Self-Defense Forces to dispatch disaster relief units.

Meteorological Agency officials say more heavy snow is expected across wide areas of Japan onThursday.
The officials say a winter pressure pattern is gaining strength, bringing snow along the Sea of Japan coast in northern and western Japan.

The fresh snow will add to the already massive snowfall that has hit the country this winter.

As of Thursday morning, Ohkura Village in Yamagata Prefecture had about 3.6 meters of snow. About 1.3 meters of snow had piled up in Aomori City.

Weather officials are calling for caution about traffic disruptions, avalanches and snow-related accidents.

News credit: http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120202_h10.html

Image credit: http://www.thejakartapost.com/files/images2/Japan%20Snow_admi.jpg