Record-breaking rainfall in Japan caused chaos at Tokyo’s Narita airport, leaving thousands of travelers stranded on Friday. The deluge led to floods in the surrounding Chiba prefecture, resulting in disrupted transportation, power outages affecting 20,000 households, and tragically claiming eight lives.
Chiba Governor Toshihito Kumagai described the situation as highly uncommon, emphasizing the severity of the disaster. Among the fatalities was an individual trapped in a submerged vehicle, as reported by NHK citing local authorities.
At Narita airport, stranded passengers received support with sleeping bags, water, and snacks as they coped with the travel disruptions. Many travelers faced long waits for taxis, like Minoru Yamasaki, who endured a four-hour queue before being forced to return to the airport after his hotel accommodations fell through.
Despite the challenges, airport officials anticipated most flights to operate as scheduled on Friday. Meanwhile, widespread power outages affected over 20,000 homes due to flooding at a power substation, with gas supply interruptions impacting around 13,000 residents.
The impact of the heavy rainfall extended to road closures, with major highways in Chiba closed off, diverting traffic onto alternative routes. Additionally, rail services were temporarily suspended, although some services between Narita and Tokyo resumed to alleviate congestion.
The weather authorities noted a record-breaking 367 millimeters of rain within 24 hours in Chiba, surpassing the previous record set in 2013. The situation prompted hundreds of individuals in Chiba city to seek shelter in government buildings, highlighting the severity of the flooding crisis in the region.