Record rainfall in Japan kills eight, strands thousands at Narita airport

Record rainfall in Japan has killed at least eight people and stranded thousands of travellers at Tokyo’s Narita International Airport, as severe flooding disrupted transport, damaged homes and left about 20,000 households without power.

More than 360 millimetres of rain fell in parts of Chiba prefecture, east of Tokyo, within 24 hours during one of Japan’s busiest holiday periods. Floodwaters inundated roads and railway lines, while soldiers were deployed to assist with rescue operations, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

“This case was an extremely unusual situation,” Chiba Governor Toshihito Kumagai told reporters. “I have responded to many disasters in the past, but I have never experienced a case like this.”

The eight deaths included at least one person who was trapped inside a submerged vehicle, public broadcaster NHK reported, citing local authorities and police. Japan’s fire department said several people had drowned after their vehicles became trapped in floodwaters.

At Narita Airport, staff distributed sleeping bags, water and snacks to hundreds of passengers who were forced to spend the night at the airport after transport disruptions stranded about 7,000 people.

The flooding also left about 1,000 passenger vehicles abandoned on roads in Chiba City and surrounding areas.

Around 20,000 households in Chiba remained without electricity following the heavy rainfall on August 13, while more than 180 homes were completely or partially flooded. About 7,400 people were staying in temporary evacuation centres as authorities continued rescue and recovery efforts.

By Sabina Mammadli