Record-breaking rainfall battered eastern Japan, killing at least eight people and leaving thousands of travelers stranded as severe flooding disrupted roads, railways and power supplies across Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo.
The torrential rain intensified late Thursday, August 13, with more than 360 millimeters falling within 24 hours in parts of Chiba. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued its highest-level heavy rain warning for the prefecture for the first time as authorities warned of flooding and landslides.
Among the victims were a man believed to be in his 60s or 70s who was found in a flooded road and a 66-year-old woman whose vehicle became submerged. Emergency crews and military personnel were deployed as rescue operations continued across affected communities.
The downpour caused widespread infrastructure problems. Close to 26,000 households in Chiba were without electricity, while dozens of homes were flooded in cities including Ichikawa, Kashiwa and Sakura. Hundreds of residents spent the night in shelters after floodwaters overwhelmed streets and residential areas.
Narita International Airport, one of the main gateways serving Tokyo, was hit particularly hard by the transport disruption. Around 7,000 passengers were stranded overnight after flooding forced the closure or suspension of key road and rail connections. Airport workers distributed food, water and sleeping bags to travelers unable to leave the terminal.
Flights were expected to operate largely as scheduled on Friday, although Japan Airlines warned that some services could face delays. Several highways connecting Narita with central Tokyo remained closed, while rail operators gradually restored some services during the morning.
Chiba Governor Toshihito Kumagai described the weather as highly unusual even by Japan’s historical standards. Although the most severe rain warnings were downgraded Friday morning, authorities continued to caution residents about swollen rivers, saturated ground and the possibility of further flooding.
The disaster adds to concerns over increasingly severe weather in Japan, where extreme rainfall has repeatedly tested transport networks, drainage systems and local emergency services.
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