Heavy snowfall in Japan holds up rescue efforts
Posted: Fri 18 Mar, 2011 5:33 PM
Heavy snowfall in Japan s earthquake and tsunami affected areas is impeding rescue efforts.
Severe blizzard-like conditions have blocked roads and made it difficult for officials and rescue teams to reach out to survivors and pull out dead bodies out from the rubble. The official toll for missing and the dead has reached 11,000 and is expected to rise. According to a report in ABC News, Japan is mobilising thousands of reservists to help with recovery and clean-up operations. There are more than 70,000 regular troops assisting with relief efforts. Australian emergency crews are taking part in the rescue efforts and digging through ice to rescue bodies that are trapped in Minamisanriku, one of the hardest-hit areas.
