Sobering stats about snow deaths this year, particularly for Niigata

I pay pretty close attention to snow-related injuries and fatalities, because they're a very real risk here in yukiguni. Since the heavy snowfall began back on January 20th, the situation across big parts of the country has turned genuinely grim, with 46 people losing their lives in snow-related accidents. Here in Niigata, there have been 17 deaths, which is the highest of any prefecture.

This was early on in the winter season. The snowfall is crazy this year, with some places here in Niigata recording meters and meters of it.

What makes it more unsettling is how ordinary many of these situations were. Most of the victims were over 60, and many were simply doing what people here do every winter, primarily clearing snow from roofs, driveways, and walkways. It's the kind of task that feels extremely routine, until it suddenly isn't.