More than 360 mm of rain fell in 24 hours in parts of Chiba prefecture, which adjoins the capital Tokyo, inundating roads and railways and knocking out power to nearly 25,000 households during one of Japan's busiest holiday weeks.
The authorities said four deaths have been confirmed so far, including at least one person trapped in a submerged vehicle. Soldiers have been dispatched to the area to help with relief efforts.
A general view shows the arrival hall of Narita International airport terminal 2 in Narita, near Tokyo, Japan, March 25, 2016. Photo by Reuters
"This case was an extremely unusual situation, even by Japan's historical weather standards," Chiba Governor Toshihito Kumagai told reporters on the morning of Aug. 14.
"I have responded to many disasters in the past, but I have never experienced a case like this."
