Record-breaking rainfall in Japan caused chaos at Tokyo’s Narita airport, leaving thousands of travelers stranded. The deluge led to floods in the surrounding area, disrupting transportation, cutting power to 20,000 homes, and claiming eight lives.
Parts of Chiba prefecture, adjacent to Tokyo, experienced over 360 millimeters of rainfall within 24 hours, submerging roads and railways during a peak holiday period in Japan. Chiba Gov. Toshihito Kumagai described the situation as highly unusual and unprecedented in his experience of handling disasters.
Tragically, among the fatalities was an individual trapped in a submerged vehicle, as reported by public broadcaster NHK based on information from Chiba authorities and police. At Narita airport, stranded passengers were provided with essential supplies like sleeping bags, water, and snacks after being marooned due to transport disruptions that left around 7,000 people stranded.
Airport operations were anticipated to return to normalcy, with most flights expected to resume on Friday. However, the aftermath of the heavy rainfall resulted in power outages affecting over 20,000 households, gas supply interruptions for nearly 13,000 residents, and temporary closure of major highways in Chiba.
In Chiba city, severely impacted by the rainfall, hundreds sought refuge in makeshift evacuation centers set up in government buildings. The extreme weather conditions also led to the suspension of several rail services, though some routes from Narita to Tokyo were gradually restored to alleviate congestion.
Meteorological authorities confirmed that the 367 millimeters of rainfall recorded in Chiba over 24 hours surpassed the previous record set in October 2013. The images of flooded areas and stranded individuals paint a stark picture of the devastating impact of the unprecedented rainfall in the region.