Record Rainfall Paralyses Tokyo: Narita Airport Strands Thousands

Record-breaking rainfall has brought severe travel disruptions and chaos to Tokyo's Narita airport, leaving thousands stranded. The deluge, which hit Chiba prefecture, resulted in massive flooding, power outages, and at least four deaths. Authorities are working tirelessly to restore normalcy amid ongoing relief efforts.

Record rainfall left thousands stranded at Tokyo's Narita airport Thursday due to severe flooding, power outages, and at least four fatalities recorded in Chiba prefecture, adjacent to Tokyo.

Over 360 millimeters of rain drenched the area in 24 hours, wreaking havoc on roads, railways, and plunging nearly 25,000 households into darkness during one of Japan's busiest holiday weeks. Military personnel have been deployed to aid the ongoing relief efforts.

Chiba Governor Toshihito Kumagai described it as an unprecedented weather event. Transport disruptions left around 7,000 people stranded at Narita, although flights were expected to proceed without cancellations. Major highways, including critical routes linking the airport to Tokyo, remained closed, causing heavy traffic diversions.