Record rainfall over Chiba Prefecture, just east of Tokyo, has killed at least eight people and left thousands stranded overnight at Narita International Airport, in what the prefecture's governor called an "extremely unusual situation" unlike anything he had handled before.
Chiba City recorded 348 millimeters of rain in the 12 hours through 1:40 a.m. local time Friday — roughly three times the city's average rainfall for the entire month of August, compressed into half a day, according to Xinhua. Some areas of the prefecture logged more than 360 millimeters over 24 hours, surpassing a regional record set in October 2013.
The eight confirmed deaths were spread across the cities of Chiba, Kashiwa, Ichikawa, Sakura and Yachiyo, with four more people reported injured. One victim was found trapped inside a submerged vehicle. The Japan Times reported the toll had climbed through Thursday night as floodwaters rose across the prefecture, and officials cautioned it could still change as search efforts continue.
Airport Paralyzed, Power Cut
The downpour paralyzed train and bus links into Narita, stranding roughly 7,000 passengers overnight inside the terminals. Airport staff handed out blankets, water and snacks as travelers bedded down on the floor; airlines said flights were expected to resume largely normal schedules by Friday, though some rail connections between Narita and central Tokyo remained suspended into the morning.
More than 20,000 households lost power and roughly 13,000 lost gas service as the storm moved through, while several major highways in Chiba were closed. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued its highest-level Emergency Warning — Level 5 — for heavy rain and landslides in parts of the prefecture overnight, before downgrading conditions to Level 4 or lower by Friday morning. As of 11 a.m., evacuation orders remained in effect for roughly 102,600 residents.
Japan's Self-Defense Forces deployed troops to assist with rescue and relief operations in the hardest-hit areas. Chiba Governor Toshihito Kumagai, who has overseen the prefecture's response to numerous past disasters, told reporters he had "never experienced a case like this," describing the rainfall's speed and volume as without precedent for the region.
Officials warned that additional heavy rain remained possible into the weekend and urged residents in low-lying and hillside areas to stay alert for further landslide and flooding risk even as the immediate warning levels eased. Recovery crews were working to clear flooded roads and restore rail service in time for the tail end of Japan's Obon holiday travel period, one of the busiest of the year.
