Around 7,000 travellers were left stranded at Tokyo’s Narita airport on Friday after record rainfall in neighbouring Chiba prefecture caused widespread flooding, disrupted transport and left four people dead.
More than 360 millimetres of rain fell in parts of Chiba within 24 hours, inundating roads and railway lines while cutting power to nearly 25,000 households during one of Japan’s busiest holiday periods.
The heavy rain also caused major disruption around Narita, one of Japan’s main international transport hubs. Several rail services remained suspended on Friday morning, although some trains connecting the airport with Tokyo had resumed.
Major highways linking Narita with central Tokyo also remained closed, forcing motorists onto alternative routes and causing heavy traffic, according to highway operator NEXCO East.
Authorities confirmed four deaths, including at least one person who was trapped inside a submerged vehicle. Soldiers have been deployed to assist with relief efforts.
Chiba Governor Toshihito Kumagai described the rainfall as an exceptional event, even by Japan’s standards.
“This case was an extremely unusual situation, even by Japan’s historical weather standards,” Kumagai told reporters on Friday morning. “I have responded to many disasters in the past, but I have never experienced a case like this.”
Despite the disruption, Narita airport said all flights were scheduled to operate normally on Friday. Japan Airlines said some flights could be delayed but that no cancellations were expected at the time.
The flooding comes as Japan enters a busy holiday travel period, adding further pressure to transport networks already affected by the extreme weather.
Reuters
