‘Unprecedented’ rain kills five in Japan as thousands stranded at airport

At least five people have died in eastern Japan after "unprecedented" heavy rain hit Chiba prefecture, east of Tokyo, on Thursday night, triggering landslide warnings and power outages. The torrential rains left nearly 7,000 stranded at Tokyo's Narita airport and forced thousands to take refuge in government buildings. Evacuation orders were issued for more than 400,000 people in Chiba and other areas, and about 45,000 homes lost power, as 115mm of rain fell hourly, approximately the same amount usually recorded for the whole month of August. The body of a man, believed to be in his 60s or 70s, was found floating in a flooded road in the city of Ichikawa, while a 66-year-old woman was killed when her car got trapped in flood waters in the city of Sakura. Two other people are reported to have died after being unable to escape from their cars during the flooding. Chiba governor Toshihito Kumagai described the situation as "an extremely unusual situation", and soldiers have been dispatched to the area to help with relief efforts.

The heavy rain has caused significant disruption, with thousands of people stranded at Narita airport, and many more forced to take refuge in government buildings. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued the highest level-5 warning for heavy rains and landslides for the prefecture, the first time it has done so. Footage from public broadcaster NHK showed water spurting violently from what appeared to be a maintenance hole and exceeding the height of a nearby five-storey building in Chiba's central ward. The power outages have also caused concern for business owners, with one woman expressing worry about whether she can open her business in the next couple of days. A traveller from the UK, Philip, described his nine-hour journey to the airport, including a taxi ride, and said he was trying to get some sleep and watching Netflix while waiting. The authorities have warned of the dangers of flooding in the area, with Kazuhito Shimamoto of the ministry of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism urging people to take action to protect their lives and check evacuation advisories issued by local municipalities.

The incident has highlighted the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events in Japan, which meteorologists attribute to climate breakdown. The rain had eased by Friday, but authorities are warning of the dangers of flooding in the area, particularly for rivers where the risk of flooding is already high. The government has urged people to evacuate early and take necessary precautions to protect their lives. The situation is being closely monitored, and relief efforts are underway to support those affected by the flooding. The governor of Chiba has responded to the disaster, and the government is working to restore power and provide assistance to those in need. As the situation continues to unfold, it is likely that the full extent of the damage and the number of people affected will become clearer, and the government will face questions about its preparedness and response to the disaster.

⚡ Effects Interpreter