Heavy snow strands scores of vehicles on a main expressway in central Japan

TOKYO — Heavy snow stranded scores of vehicles on a main expressway in central Japan on Wednesday, paralyzing traffic for more than 6 kilometers (4 miles), officials said. Army troops were dispatched to help relief efforts.

The traffic jam occurred on the Meishin Expressway in Gifu prefecture, reportedly after two trucks became stuck in the snow.

By Wednesday evening, dozens of vehicles were stuck on both directions of the highway, Central Nippon Expressway Co. said.

It closed the section and mobilized snowplows and tow trucks to clear the stranded vehicles, while delivering snacks, drinking water and portable toilets for those trapped.

The Ground Self-Defense Force, Japan's army, dispatched troops to join relief efforts at the request of Gifu Gov. Hajime Furuta. The soldiers were helping remove snow and deliver food and fuel for those in the stranded vehicles.

Snow removal work was unable to keep up with the snowfall, and it was unclear when the jam would be cleared, Kyodo News reported. The expressway operator urged drivers to stay away.

Two children in a stranded vehicle became sick and were taken to a hospital, Kyodo News said.

The transport ministry said it may close some national highways in the central and western regions due to the heavy snow.

Low-temperature air from the west formed a cold front that caused heavy snow to fall in Japan’s north-central region. The severe weather also led to accidents in a number of locations. Japan's Meteorological Agency predicted the snowstorms would continue on Thursday.