Heavy rain soaks eastern Japan, prompting highest-level warning

Heavy rain swept across eastern Japan on Thursday, causing landslides, power outages, and prompting authorities to issue Japan's highest-level heavy rain warning for the region. Footage from NHK showed cars submerged in floodwaters in Kashiwa, Chiba. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) official warned of imminent danger to lives in affected areas.

Over 100,000 households, primarily in Chiba but also in Ibaraki and Saitama, were ordered to evacuate. Hundreds were stranded at Chiba station due to suspended train services. Around 100 millimeters of rain fell in Sakura city within an hour, according to NHK. The JMA issued the top-level warning for more than a dozen cities in Chiba, typically signaling a significant risk of disaster.

This sudden extreme weather knocked out power for over 10,000 households in Chiba, and authorities reported landslides, mudslides, and flooded homes in several cities. Scientists attribute the increase in such extreme weather events to climate change.