Torrential, record-breaking rainfall has caused severe flooding east of Tokyo, resulting in at least eight deaths and leaving more than 10,000 travelers and commuters stranded in Japan’s Chiba prefecture.
Roads were transformed into rivers, trapping residents and travelers. Approximately 7,000 people were forced to spend the night at Tokyo’s Narita International Airport after floodwaters severed rail and road connections during a busy holiday travel period. Emergency workers distributed sleeping bags, water, and food to those sheltering in the airport terminals on Thursday night.
Among the deceased was a man in his 60s or 70s found in a flooded road in Ichikawa. A 66-year-old woman died after her car became submerged in Sakura, while other victims were found in flooded vehicles or collapsed on streets. Authorities have warned that the number of flooded homes, initially counted at over 80, is likely to increase as rescue efforts continue.
The intensity of the downpour was extraordinary, with some areas in Chiba receiving over 14 inches of rain within a 24-hour period. Chiba city alone recorded 4.5 inches in a single hour on Thursday evening, shattering local records dating back to 1966. Chiba Governor Toshihito Kumagai described the situation as “extremely unusual” and unlike anything he had experienced in previous disasters.
Nearly 230,000 residents were advised to evacuate as floodwaters surged through streets and entered homes. The rain also caused power outages for about 68,000 households at its peak, with roughly 23,000 still without electricity on Friday morning. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued its highest Level 5 heavy rain warning for 22 Chiba municipalities and its most severe landslide warning for six areas, later downgrading them to Level 4 as the rain subsided.
Aviation operations at Narita Airport largely continued as scheduled, although some flight delays were possible. However, ground transportation remained severely disrupted. Rail services began to reopen in stages on Friday, but significant delays and long queues persisted. Major highways connecting Narita Airport to Tokyo were closed or heavily congested.
Beyond the airport, the chaos was widespread. Over 4,000 people took shelter at JR Soga station after surrounding streets were submerged, with water reaching waist-high. An additional 1,700 people found refuge in the Chiba prefectural government building and nearby facilities, and 11 temporary accommodation sites were established across Chiba city. Dozens of abandoned vehicles littered flooded roads, with more than 20 cars blocking a single 492-foot stretch of road in central Chiba.
Weather experts attributed the disaster to a rare meteorological convergence of cold air high in the atmosphere, abundant warm, moist air, and converging winds over Chiba.