TOKYO — About 19,000 households on Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido were cut off power for an unknown reason on Sunday morning, the NHK broadcaster reported, citing the electricity regulator.

According to the Hokkaido Electric Power Company, nearly 13,500 houses were left without electricity in the city of Mombetsu, about 3,000 houses in the city of Omu and some 2,6000 more houses in the city of Okoppe, the report said.

The cause of the power outage is yet to be determined. The Japan Self-Defense Forces have been deployed to help with the ongoing repair work, the broadcaster said.

Local authorities established temporary accommodation centers for residents across the cities for the period of repair work. People can receive food and charge their mobile phones on the spot.

As of Sunday afternoon, several dozen people have already used this opportunity.

Severe snowfall hit northern and western Japan earlier this week causing electricity and network outages, delays in rail services and traffic jams.

Heavy snow from a wintry low-pressure system caused power outages in Hokkaido and train delays in the Tokai region on Saturday.

The storm caused a transmission tower to collapse in Monbetsu in Hokkaido’s Okhotsk region on Friday, temporarily cutting power for up to 24,000 homes in the region, including the entire city of Monbetsu.

In response to Hokkaido’s request for disaster relief, about 20 members of the Ground Self-Defense Force stationed in Camp Engaru helped provide relief at a shelter set up in the city, lending out stoves and other items.

Nagoya meanwhile observed its first snowfall of the season early Saturday morning. 10 centimeters of snow had accumulated as of 9 a.m., according to the Nagoya Local Meteorological Observatory.

People walked carefully in front of Nagoya Station, making sure of their footing as they went. The snow disrupted transit in the city, with delays on some JR and Meitetsu Nagoya Railroad lines and the Nagoya Expressway closing all lanes to traffic. — Agencies