Record rainfall batters eastern Japan, killing eight and stranding thousands at Narita airport

At least eight people have died after record-breaking rainfall battered eastern Japan, triggering severe flooding, landslides, power outages and major transport disruptions in Chiba prefecture, near Tokyo. The unprecedented downpour also left thousands of passengers stranded overnight at Tokyo’s Narita International Airport as flooded roads and suspended rail services disrupted access to the busy travel hub. Authorities issued Japan’s highest Level 5 emergency warning on Thursday as torrential rain swept across Chiba. The warning was downgraded to Level 4 by Friday morning, although officials continued to caution residents about the dangers of flooding and landslides.

Chiba recorded rainfall exceeding 100mm per hour in some areas from Thursday afternoon. More than 360mm of rain fell in a 24-hour period, breaking previous records in the region. "This case was an extremely unusual situation, even by Japan's historical weather standards," Chiba Governor Toshihito Kumagai told reporters on Friday morning. “I have responded to many disasters in the past, but I have never experienced a case like this.” The Japan Meteorological Agency described the rainfall as an "unprecedented level of heavy rain".

Meteorologists said the extreme conditions were caused by warm, humid air flowing into eastern Japan and interacting with colder air above, creating highly unstable atmospheric conditions. Authorities said the rain was expected to continue through late Friday, while rescue teams remained focused on protecting lives and assisting people affected by flooding. Among those killed was a woman who died after her vehicle became submerged on a flooded road. Two other people reportedly collapsed in the streets and later died.

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The rainfall caused widespread disruption across Chiba. Several rail services remained suspended on Friday, while major highways were also closed because of flooding and dangerous road conditions. Thousands of people were forced to seek shelter after evacuation requests and warnings were issued across affected areas. Around 7,000 travellers were reportedly stranded overnight at Narita Airport, while others took refuge at railway stations and government buildings.

More than 20,000 households were without electricity in the affected area, while gas services were also disrupted for thousands of households. At Narita Airport, flights were expected to operate, although passengers were warned of delays because of continuing transport problems. Japan Airlines said some flights could be delayed but did not expect widespread cancellations. The flooding left passengers stranded at metro and railway stations, while about 1,800 people spent the night inside the Chiba Prefectural Government building.

A woman in Ichikawa city told NHK the sudden rainfall had caught residents off guard. "The rain happened all of a sudden so it was a complete surprise," she said. "The power is out so I'm worried whether I can open my business in the next couple of days," she said.

Severe weather also hits the Philippines

The extreme weather comes amid a particularly active period of storms across East and Southeast Asia. In the Philippines, authorities again suspended classes and government operations in much of the northern part of the country because of continuing flood risks. Japan, the Philippines and China have experienced a series of storms this week, with Dolphin, Chan-Hom and Peilou affecting different parts of the region.

Dolphin brought heavy rainfall to Japan's Okinawa region, causing power outages, downing trees and disrupting flights.

In China, authorities previously evacuated more than a million people as Dolphin, described as the strongest typhoon to hit the country so far this year, made landfall in the east. The latest rainfall in eastern Japan has added to concerns about the growing intensity and disruption caused by extreme weather across the region.