Avalanche kills four in Japan

Tokyo: At least four people were killed and one injured in a snow avalanche in Hokkaido in Japan.

The avalanche engulfed around 10 snowmobiles at around 2:50 pm (local time) Sunday on the southern slopes of Mt Shakotan in Hokkaido, Kyodo News reported on Monday. Four bodies have been recovered so far.

Twenty-two people drove up the mountain on 17 snowmobiles on Sunday, police said.

The 1,255-metre Mt Shakotan is a popular ski mountaineering spot.

Rescue work was suspended around midnight due to severe weather conditions and resumed on early Monday morning.