5 mountain climbers die in snowstorm in central Japan

Five mountain climbers were found dead on Monday after being trapped by a snowstorm Saturday on Mt. Shirouma in Nagano prefecture of central Japan, Kyodo News said.

Four Japanese women aged from 53 to 66 were found frozen to death by local police. Another member of the climbing team sought for help on Saturday, however the strong storm hampered an early rescue.

Also on Monday, near the peak of Mt. Korenge in the Shirouma range, a 30-year-old Japanese man was found frozen to death, Kyodo quoted Niigata prefectural police as saying.

His family told police that he had been out of communication since calling home on Saturday, saying he was about to begin climbing Mt. Shirouma.

Source: Xinhua