‘Unprecedented’ rain kills five in Japan as thousands stranded at airport
Record-breaking rainfall in Japan's Chiba prefecture has resulted in five deaths and widespread flooding. Thousands of people were stranded at Narita airport, and hundreds of thousands were issued evacuation orders due to landslides and power outages.
Why it matters
The event highlights the increasing frequency of extreme weather events and the challenges of disaster management in densely populated regions.
At least four killed as record rainfall floods Japan's Chiba prefecture – video Japan ‘Unprecedented’ rain kills five in Japan as thousands stranded at airport Evacuation orders issued for 400,000 after flooding, landslide warnings and power outages in Chiba prefecture
Prefer the Guardian on Google At least five people have died in eastern Japan after “unprecedented” heavy rain that left nearly 7,000 stranded at Tokyo’s Narita airport and forced thousands to take refuge in government buildings.
The torrential rains hit Chiba prefecture, east of Tokyo, on Thursday night, triggering landslide warnings and power outages. 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.
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