Three people were killed as a severe snowstorm pummelled wide areas of northern and central Japan Thursday, dpa cited local media as reporting. A woman died in Senboku, Akita prefecture, after falling into a ditch while removing snow. A man was killed after falling from a roof while clearing snow late last night in Tokaichi, Niigata Prefecture, the Kyodo News agency reported. More than 15 people were injured in Aichi prefecture, central Japan, with more than 130 traffic accidents blamed on the heavy snow. On the northern island of Hokkaido, where a blizzard struck the widest areas, one woman died Wednesday when a warehouse collapsed under accumulated snow, Hokkaido newspaper reported.