- Five people have died after heavy rain and flooding in Japan, with thousands more left stranded.
- The torrential rain knocked out power to about 23,000 homes on Friday morning, down from 68,000 earlier, according to the TEPCO Power Grid.
- Hundreds took shelter overnight at the Chiba prefectural government building; thousands stranded at Narita airport.
- One person is missing, and victims include a man found floating in a flooded road in Ichikawa City and a woman stuck in a flooded car in Sakura City.
- Two people were presumed dead after being pulled from flooded cars in Kashiwa city and in Chiba.
- The disruption occurred during Japan's Bon Buddhist holiday week and followed tropical storm Chan-hom passing over Honshu island on Tuesday; at least seven people suffered minor injuries, and it came weeks after 39 deaths in the Kumamoto region.
- The Japan Meteorological Agency downgraded its most severe warning for heavy rain in more than a dozen municipalities in Chiba Prefecture as rain subsided on Friday morning, but more is forecast later.
- More than 80 homes were flooded in the prefecture, and nearly 230,000 residents were advised to take shelter, Chiba officials said.
Heavy rain in Japan has led to devastating flooding, claiming at least five lives and stranding thousands at Narita airport. The Japan Meteorological Agency reported record rainfall of 11.5 cm in just one hour in Chiba City, with further rain expected.5
The flooding has resulted in power outages affecting 23,000 homes, with the TEPCO Power Grid reporting a decrease from 68,000 earlier. Thousands sought shelter overnight, with the Ground Self-Defense Force dispatching buses to rescue about 4,000 stranded individuals from Soga train station, which also serves Tokyo Disneyland.2
As the situation unfolded, Narita airport saw thousands of passengers stranded due to halted train services. Although flights resumed on Friday morning, delays were reported as many travelers returned home after Japan's Bon Buddhist holiday week.678
The Japan Meteorological Agency downgraded its severe rain warnings as the worst of the rain subsided, but more precipitation is forecasted for later in the day. Pictures from the region showed extensive flooding, with roads submerged and homes affected.
At least four people have died in the flooding, including a man found on a flooded road in Ichikawa City and a woman trapped in a car in Sakura City. Another person was reported missing, and two others are presumed dead after being pulled from flooded vehicles in Kashiwa City and Chiba.4
This disaster follows a recent tropical storm that swept through Honshu, raising concerns about the region's vulnerability to severe weather events.
“The flooding has damaged more than 80 homes and prompted nearly 230,000 residents to take shelter, with hundreds overnighting at the Chiba prefectural government building. The Japan Meteorological Agency downgraded its most severe warning Friday morning, but more rain is forecast later in the day.”
