Record-breaking rainfall in Japan caused severe travel disruptions at Tokyo’s Narita airport, leading to thousands of stranded travelers and widespread flooding in the surrounding areas. The torrential downpour, with over 360 millimeters of rain within 24 hours in parts of Chiba prefecture adjacent to Tokyo, resulted in road and rail inundations during a peak holiday period in Japan.
Chiba Governor Toshihito Kumagai described the situation as highly unusual, unprecedented in his experience of managing disasters. Tragically, eight individuals lost their lives, including one person trapped in a submerged vehicle, according to reports from Chiba authorities and police.
The chaos at Narita airport prompted staff to provide essentials like sleeping bags, water, and snacks to the stranded passengers, many of whom had to spend the night at the airport due to transportation disruptions affecting around 7,000 individuals. One traveler, Minoru Yamasaki, shared his ordeal of enduring a four-hour wait for a taxi and being turned away by a fully booked hotel, forcing him to return to the airport.
Despite the challenges, airport officials anticipated most flights to resume normal operations on Friday. However, the aftermath of the heavy rainfall caused power outages affecting over 20,000 homes, with a flooded power substation disrupting electricity supply. Gas services to nearly 13,000 homes were also temporarily halted.
In Chiba city, a severely impacted area, numerous residents sought refuge in government facilities, spending the night under foil blankets. The extensive flooding led to the closure of major highways, diverting traffic onto alternative routes and causing congestion. Additionally, multiple rail services were suspended, though some trains from Narita to Tokyo gradually resumed to alleviate the transportation bottleneck at the airport.
Weather authorities confirmed that the rainfall in Chiba, reaching 367 millimeters in a day, surpassed the previous record set in 2013. The region faced significant challenges in the aftermath of the record-breaking rainfall, with authorities and residents working to address the impacts of the extreme weather event.