Record-breaking rainfall in Japan caused havoc 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 residences, and resulting in eight fatalities.
Chiba prefecture, adjacent to Tokyo, received over 360 millimeters of rain within a day, causing road and railway inundations during a peak holiday period in Japan. Chiba Governor Toshihito Kumagai described the situation as exceptionally rare, stating that he had never encountered such circumstances in his disaster response experience.
Among the casualties was an individual trapped in a submerged vehicle, as reported by Chiba authorities and police. At Narita airport, where around 7,000 people were stranded due to transport disruptions, passengers were provided with essential supplies like sleeping bags and snacks. One traveler, Minoru Yamasaki, shared his ordeal of facing long taxi queues and hotel accommodation issues, ultimately returning to the airport for shelter.
Despite the chaos, airport officials anticipated most flights to operate as scheduled the following day. Meanwhile, the aftermath of the heavy rainfall resulted in power outages affecting over 20,000 households and gas supply disruptions for nearly 13,000 residents. In Chiba city, severely impacted by the downpour, hundreds sought refuge in government facilities.
The torrential rain prompted the closure of major highways in Chiba, diverting traffic onto alternative routes and causing significant congestion. Additionally, various rail services were suspended temporarily, although some routes between Narita and Tokyo resumed to alleviate congestion at the airport.
Meteorological authorities noted that the 367 millimeters of rainfall in Chiba within 24 hours surpassed the previous record set in 2013. The images captured the extent of the flooding and the challenges faced by residents in coping with the aftermath of the unprecedented rainfall.
