Avalanche hits bathers in Japan

An avalanche buried an outdoor hot spring at a popular traditional inn in northern Japan today, killing one person and injuring 16, as Japan struggles through one of its snowiest winters on record.

A 20-year-old worker pulled from the snow almost six hours after the avalanche struck was confirmed dead upon arrival at a hospital, according to Masakatsu Ito, an official at Omagari Fire Station in Akita.

Another worker, rescued this morning, was taken to hospital for acute hypothermia but remained conscious, Ito said.

Nine bathers – eight women and a man – were also hit by falling snow and received treatment at nearby hospitals, together with a group of six South Korean women who were visiting the area, according to Ito.