An intense cold front has hit the Japan Sea coastline, bringing heavy snowfall to the area.

An elderly woman was found dead in an irrigation canal on February 5 in Oyabe, Toyama Prefecture.

According to police, the 80-year-old woman was last seen by family on the morning of February 4 before her whereabouts became unknown and officials began their search.

The culverted irrigation canal is roughly 2 meters wide and 1 meter high with around a 10 centimeters depth of water flowing.

Police said that there is a possibility that the woman fell into the irrigation canal while plowing snow amidst the recent heavy snowfall.

Southwestern Japan is also expected to see snowfall as temperatures drop throughout the region on February 7.