Severe Flooding in Eastern Japan Claims Lives Amid Heavy Rains
Devastating Floods Hit Eastern Japan
Screengrab image shows the flood situation in Japan after torrential rains
(Photo: @Nightshade00077/X)
Tokyo, Aug 14: At least six fatalities have been reported following intense rainfall that struck eastern Japan from Thursday into early Friday, leading to significant flooding, according to local news sources. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued its highest Level 5 heavy rain alert for over a third of the municipalities in Chiba Prefecture, located near Tokyo, as officials remained vigilant due to deteriorating weather conditions.
A man was confirmed dead after being found on a submerged road in Ichikawa. Additionally, a 66-year-old woman lost her life after becoming trapped in her vehicle on a flooded road in Sakura, as reported by the prefectural government and local news outlets.
Authorities confirmed another man's death after he was discovered unresponsive on a flooded road in Chiba Prefecture, while another man who collapsed in Sakura also succumbed, according to statements from the prefectural government on Friday. Subsequently, two more fatalities were reported by Chiba prefectural police. The heavy rains caused significant disruptions to transportation in Chiba and various areas of Tokyo, leaving many commuters stranded, as indicated in the report. Approximately 1,800 individuals sought refuge in a government building in the prefecture designated for stranded travelers.
Officials in Chiba, Ichikawa, and surrounding municipalities urged residents to take precautions as flooding persisted throughout the prefecture, leading to traffic congestion on major roads. The Japan Meteorological Agency had issued a Level 5 warning for multiple locations in the prefecture, including Chiba and Ichihara, on Thursday, but these warnings were downgraded by Friday morning.
Evacuation orders were issued for over 400,000 residents in Chiba and Ibaraki prefectures, as reported by the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.
As of 11 am local time on Friday, evacuation orders remained active for approximately 102,600 individuals in Chiba Prefecture, according to the agency. The Cabinet Office announced that more than 200 evacuation centers had been set up across Chiba, Ibaraki, Saitama, and Gunma prefectures, as reported by local news sources.
At one point, power outages affected around 45,000 households in Chiba Prefecture, according to a subsidiary of Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.