Tokyo, en.SERU.co.id — Record rainfall in Chiba Prefecture, eastern Japan, has killed at least eight people and left thousands of travelers stranded at Tokyo’s Narita Airport after severe flooding disrupted roads and rail links.
More than 360 millimeters of rain fell in parts of Chiba within 24 hours on August 13 and 14, 2026, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. Some areas recorded 367 mm, surpassing the previous regional record of 309 mm set in October 2013. Chiba city recorded approximately 348 mm in 12 hours and 115 mm in a single hour.
Authorities issued the highest-level heavy rain warning for the prefecture for the first time. Chiba Governor Toshihito Kumagai described the rainfall as an extremely unusual situation and expressed condolences to the victims.
Transport Chaos and Airport Disruption
Flooding submerged roads, halted train services and forced the closure of major highways linking Narita Airport to central Tokyo. Around 7,000 passengers spent the night at the airport after rail and bus connections were suspended. Airport staff distributed sleeping bags, water and snacks as travelers rested in the terminals.
One stranded traveler told NHK: “I never thought I’d spend the night at the airport, but it is what it is and we are learning. We’re never going to forget this trip.”
Power supplies were cut to more than 20,000 households across the prefecture. Japanese Self-Defense Force personnel were deployed to assist with rescue and evacuation efforts.
Among the confirmed dead were a man in his 60s or 70s found floating on a flooded road and a 66-year-old woman trapped inside a submerged vehicle.
By the afternoon of August 14, some rail services from Narita to Tokyo had resumed, gradually easing congestion at the airport. Flights continued to operate with limited delays. The highest-level weather warnings were later downgraded, although some local transport disruption remained.
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