Snow Traps Vehicles In 23-KM Traffic Jam On Highway In Western Japan

HIROSHIMA, Jan 3 (Bernama-Kyodo) -- Heavy snowfall caused a traffic jam to form Friday on a highway in western Japan that stretched for up to 23 kilometres (km) overnight, likely involving about 3,000 vehicles, Kyodo News Agency reported, citing the highway operator and local firefighters.

An emergency call was received at around 7:20 pm Friday, saying that a car with normal tyres got stuck in snow on a section of the Sanyo Expressway in Hiroshima Prefecture, according to local police.

People from at least four vehicles made similar calls after getting stuck in the same area, police said.

A man in his 30s trapped in the traffic jam called for an ambulance complaining of ringing in the ears, dizziness and nausea and was taken to hospital, local firefighters said.

The traffic jam hit as some drivers were returning home from visits to their hometowns for the New Year holidays.

A woman in her 40s said her family was driving back to Tokyo from meetings with her family's relatives in Oita Prefecture when the jam trapped them for about 12 hours from around 7.30 pm Friday.

"I was stuck inside a tunnel where my cellphone was out of service area, and I was very anxious," she said.

West Nippon Expressway said it closed parts of both lanes between Hiroshima and Yamaguchi prefectures.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said heavy snow fell in the area Friday from the evening through late night.

-- BERNAMA-KYODO