Record-breaking rainfall in Japan caused chaos at Tokyo’s Narita airport, leading to floods in the surrounding area, disrupting transportation, cutting power to 20,000 homes, and resulting in eight fatalities. Parts of Chiba prefecture, neighboring Tokyo, received over 360 millimetres of rain within 24 hours, causing road and rail inundations during a peak holiday period. Chiba Governor Toshihito Kumagai described the situation as highly unusual, unprecedented in his experience of managing disasters.

Among the fatalities was an individual trapped in a submerged vehicle, as reported by Chiba authorities and police. Following transportation disruptions that left around 7,000 people stranded, airport staff at Narita provided essentials like sleeping bags, water, and snacks to affected passengers. One stranded traveler, Minoru Yamasaki, shared his ordeal of facing long taxi queues and hotel accommodation shortages, ultimately returning to the airport for shelter.

Despite the challenges, airport officials anticipated most flights to operate as scheduled the following day. The heavy rainfall also caused power outages for over 20,000 homes due to flooding of a power substation, with gas supply interruptions affecting nearly 13,000 residents. In Chiba city, hundreds sought refuge in government buildings after being displaced by the floods.

The severe weather conditions led to road closures and traffic congestion on alternative routes, with major highways in Chiba being shut down. Some rail services were suspended, although partial resumptions between Narita and Tokyo helped alleviate congestion at the airport. The recorded rainfall of 367 millimetres in Chiba over 24 hours surpassed the previous record set in October 2013, according to meteorological authorities.