Woman Dies in Snowbound Western Japan Area

Tokushima, Dec. 8 (Jiji Press)--A 98-year-old woman was confirmed dead on Monday after being taken to hospital by a helicopter from her home in a district of Tokushima Prefecture, western Japan, that was cut off by heavy snow. Meanwhile, the local authorities have confirmed the safety of 13 of the 14 residents in the same district in the town of Tsurugi who could not be reached as of Sunday night. A total of 624 members of 322 families still remained in isolated districts in the Tokushima city of Miyoshi and town of Higashimiyoshi in addition to Tsurugi on Monday night, with one Miyoshi resident missing. Since Saturday, rescue teams from the Self-Defense Forces have been working to reach the isolated areas. On Saturday, two men were found dead in heavy snow. END