At least four people have been killed in eastern Japan after “unprecedented” heavy rainfall disrupted traffic and airport and train services, authorities said on Friday.
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The heavy rain late Thursday triggered warnings of landslides and power outages. Meteorologists issued the highest-level heavy-rain warning for Chiba Prefecture for the first time.
The Chiba Disaster Management Office said those killed included a man in his 60s or 70s who was found floating on a flooded road, and a 66-year-old woman who became trapped inside her vehicle by floodwaters.
Around 26,000 households in Chiba Prefecture were without electricity by Friday morning.
Floodwaters inundated a total of 45 homes in cities including Ichikawa, Kashiwa and Sakura.
A Japan Meteorological Agency official said at a press conference Thursday that conditions were “moving toward unprecedented levels of heavy rainfall.”
The Chiba Disaster Management Office said around 6,000 passengers were stranded at Narita Airport, one of the two major airports serving Tokyo, after numerous train services to and from the airport were canceled through Friday afternoon.
Hundreds of people were also stranded at Chiba railway station after train services were suspended.
The heavy-rain warning level was downgraded from Level 5 to Level 4 on Friday morning.
