146 accidents on record snow day

ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Nov. 12 (UPI) -- A record-setting 5 inches of snow fell on Anchorage, Alaska, contributing to 146 traffic accidents.

Sunday's record snowfall for the calendar day -- which beat the previous record of 3 inches for a Nov. 11, 1944, snowstorm -- led to 146 accidents and 86 cars being caught in ditches between midnight and 11 p.m., the Anchorage Daily News reported Monday.

"There's vehicles in distress everywhere," Anchorage Police Department dispatch supervisor Kathy Johnston said at 1:30 p.m.

However, police said injuries only occurred in 16 of the accidents.

"Almost every single one is a fender-bender," Johnston said.

Johnson said many people ended up stuck in the snow when they headed for higher altitudes, which bring worse weather conditions.

"People actually are going up to Flattop," Johnston said. "We've got 10 or 12 cars stuck up there right now. They'll get help when we can get someone up there."