Tokyo, Rabi'II 13, 1436, February 02, 2015, SPA -- A blizzard battered the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, bringing the region to a virtual standstill, local media reported Monday, according to dpa. The powerful snowstorm reduced visibility to near zero, creating white-out conditions in many parts of the island, Hokkaido newspaper reported. The storm caused the cancellation of about 100 flights and 85 train services on Hokkaido on Sunday, while major highways remained closed, the paper said. Snow accumulation reached a record 80 centimetres in Rausu town over a 24-hour period, 37 centimetres in Shari town and 30 centimetres in Kitami city, the report said. With a low-pressure system stalled over eastern Hokkaido, the Meteorological Agency warned of blizzard conditions, high waves and avalanche risk through Tuesday. --SPA 10:34 LOCAL TIME 07:34 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w