Two people have been seriously injured in separate bear incidents in Akita Prefecture, northeastern Japan, on Monday and Tuesday, local media reported.

An 80-year-old woman was clawed on her face by a bear, which appeared to be a cub, when she was walking alone in the city of Odate at around 5:30 a.m. local time on Tuesday, public broadcaster NHK reported, citing the police and fire officials.

The woman suffered serious injuries, including a broken nose, but her condition is not life-threatening, the report said.

The bear reportedly fled after the attack.

In the town of Gojome, a man in his 60s riding a bicycle collided with a bear that jumped onto the road at around 1:30 p.m. local time on Monday and was seriously injured after falling and hitting his right shoulder hard, the report said

The bear, about 50 centimeters long, ran back toward the area it came from after the collision, it added.

Akita has now recorded 13 bear incidents this year, prompting officials to issue a warning against Asian black bears across the prefecture.

xinhua