Freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall are adding further pain to quake-hit areas in Japan.

 

Heavy snowfall in the northeast forced some rescue teams to abandon their searches in some of the worst-affected areas. With temperatures dropping below freezing hopes of finding more survivors is diminishing.

Humanitarian organizations warn the severe weather is putting survivors in greater jeopardy. Iwate Prefecture is still without electricity meaning locals are without heating, sufficient food, water or medical care.

Doctor of Iwate Prefecture, said, "After the tsunami, many people have no medicine. It's too cold and there are people who got sick, have diarrhea or other sufferings."

Resident in Iwate Prefecture, said, "Here, three people share one bowl of soup or one slice of bread with very little biscuits. We seldom have rice. So I am quite concerned that my daughter will suffer from malnutrition, but there is much better than nothing to eat."