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 Sputnik. 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