Tokyo, Jan 24 (EFE).- Record snowfall in central Japan on Wednesday has forced domestic flights and rail connections to be canceled, while dozens of vehicles were stranded on roads that have become impassable.

The cold air front and low atmospheric pressure moving across the Sea of Japan has seen historic amounts of snow throughout the day in Gifu and Shiga prefectures and other areas of central and coastal western Japan.

More than 40 centimeters of snow fell in six hours on Wednesday in some parts of the two prefectures, according to data from the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).

In the past 24 hours, more than 80 centimeters of snow has fallen on parts of Niigata and 70 centimeters in Chugoku, according to the JMA, which is advising people in the affected areas to avoid travel unless essential.

The storm has caused the cancellation of 13 domestic flights to and from Wakkanai, Toyama and Osaka airports, All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines said.

High-speed 'shinkansen' trains were operating at reduced speed between the cities of Nagoya and Osaka, while other rail connections in the center and west of the country were delayed or canceled.

The snow is also causing severe traffic disruptions on highways and regional roads in the same areas, some of which have been closed.

In Gifu, dozens of vehicles were stranded on a 5-kilometer stretch of the Meishin Expressway.

Vehicles have also been blocked by snow on other roads in Shiga, Kyoto and Hyogo prefectures.

Around 12 people were injured in a pile up on the Kan-Etsu expressway when a bus and truck collided due to the snow-covered roads, state broadcaster NHK reported.

The JMA expects the heavy snowfall to continue through Thursday and to also affect the Noto peninsula, the area hardest hit by the devastating New Year's Day earthquake this month.

About 10,000 people were evacuated from the area, and transport routes and infrastructure remain severely damaged by the magnitude-7.6 earthquake. EFE

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