2 dead in separate avalanches in Hokkaido

SAPPORO — Two people died after being caught in separate avalanches in Hokkaido, northern Japan, on Sunday, according to local police.

A woman in her 40s died in an avalanche on Mt Rishiri on a remote island off the coast of Hokkaido, while one man, believed to be in his 20s, was confirmed dead in one on Mt Higashi-Kariba in the town of Shimamaki, they said.

Police were notified of the incident at around 12:40 p.m. on Rishiri Island, where a group of people who may have been backcountry snowboarding were rescued, including the woman who died.

On Mt Higashi-Kariba, about 15 people who were on snowmobiles contacted emergency services at approximately 3:40 p.m., reporting that a member of their group had been caught in an avalanche.

© KYODO