Record rainfall turned Japan’s busy Obon holiday travel rush into chaos on Friday, killing at least four people in Chiba Prefecture and leaving around 7,000 travelers stranded overnight at Tokyo’s Narita International Airport after floods severed road and rail links.
Record Rain Swamps Chiba During Holiday Rush
More than 360 millimeters of rain fell in 24 hours in parts of Chiba, Reuters reported on Friday. The Japan Meteorological Agency recorded an unprecedented 11.5 centimeters in one hour in Chiba City and 9.7 centimeters in Sakura, while nearly 230,000 residents were advised to seek shelter.
"This case was an extremely unusual situation," Chiba Gov. Toshihito Kumagai said. "I have responded to many disasters in the past, but I have never experienced a case like this."
Officials confirmed four deaths, including people found in flooded vehicles, while another person remained missing. Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force deployed personnel and buses, including assistance for roughly 4,000 people stranded overnight at Soga Station.
