Unprecedented Deluge Trashes Eastern Japan
Heavy rainfall in Chiba Prefecture has killed eight people, cut power to 20,000 households and left thousands stranded at Narita Airport.
Authorities have issued a level‑five emergency warning, the highest alert, after the storm produced over 100‑mm of rain per hour—about three times the average August rainfall and the highest in Japan’s history.
Chiba Governor Toshihito Kumagai said the situation was "extremely unusual" even by Japan’s weather standards, and that rescue operations would continue while the rains are expected to last late Friday.
The incident comes amid a string of storms across Asia, including typhoon Dolphin, which has battered Japan, the Philippines and China in a tight succession.
Narita Airport’s spokesman said flights would operate normally, but passengers were stranded overnight, with many staying in the Chiba Prefectural Government building.
The severe weather has highlighted the risks of an increasingly active typhoon season and the need for resilient infrastructure in the face of extreme rainfall events.
