A 76-year-old man was found dead under snow late Saturday in Nagano prefecture, north of Tokyo, while a woman caught in a snowblower died in northern Akita prefecture Saturday, local officials said.

"The woman may be a 71-year-old woman who had been missing," an official at the Akita prefectural government said. The woman may have already died, buried under heavy snow, before she was dragged into the snow-clearing machine.

The toll has now reached at least 89, surpassing 88 killed in snow-related accidents last winter and the highest since 131 people died in the 1983-1984 season. Some local media have put the figure at 90 and 92, citing their own tallies.

Temperatures have risen since Saturday in many areas heavily blanketed by snow, causing avalanches, including one that was about 300 to 400 meters long (990 to 1,320 feet) and 30 to 40 meters wide at a ski slope.

No injuries have been reported although police were still determining whether anyone was caught in the avalanche in western Shimane prefecture.

The Japanese Meteorological Agency on Sunday issued new warnings for avalanches caused by a rapid rise in temperatures and increase in rain over the weekend in areas covered by heavy snow.

"Road officials have been maintaining round-the-clock patrol to find dangers of avalanches or other disasters promptly," the Akita official said.

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