'Unprecedented' Rainfall in Eastern Japan Kills Four, Strands Thousands at Airport
Heavy rains described as unprecedented have killed at least four people in eastern Japan, leaving nearly 7,000 stranded at Narita airport and triggering mass evacuations in Chiba prefecture.
At least four people have died in eastern Japan after torrential rains described as “unprecedented” caused severe flooding, stranding nearly 7,000 people at Tokyo’s Narita airport and forcing thousands more to take refuge in government buildings.
The heavy downpour hit Chiba prefecture, east of Tokyo, on Thursday night, prompting landslide warnings and widespread power outages. Authorities issued evacuation orders for more than 400,000 residents in Chiba and surrounding areas, while about 45,000 homes lost electricity. Rainfall reached 115 millimeters per hour, roughly the average amount the region typically receives for the entire month of August.
It was the first time the Japan Meteorological Agency issued its highest-level warning (level 5) for heavy rain and landslides in the prefecture.
In Ichikawa City, the body of a man believed to be in his 60s or 70s was found floating in a flooded road. A 66-year-old woman died in Sakura City when her car became trapped in the rising waters. Two other fatalities were reported after individuals were unable to escape their vehicles during the flooding. Military personnel have been deployed to assist in relief operations.
“This was an extremely unusual situation,” Chiba Governor Toshihito Kumagai told reporters on Friday morning. “I have responded to many disasters in the past, but I have never experienced a case like this.”
Around 7,000 passengers spent the night at Narita, one of Tokyo’s main international airports, while 1,700 people sought shelter at the Chiba prefectural government building. Footage from public broadcaster NHK showed water spurting violently from what appeared to be a manhole, reaching a height taller than a nearby five-story building in Chiba’s central ward.
Though the rain had eased by Friday, officials warned of ongoing flood risks. “For rivers where the risk of flooding is already high, please take action to protect your lives in any way possible,” said Kazuhito Shimamoto of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. “There are also rivers where the risk of flooding is expected to increase further, so please check the evacuation advisories issued by your local municipalities and evacuate early.”
Japanese meteorologists say climate breakdown is increasing both the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events.
