Heavy rain soaks eastern Japan, prompting highest-level warning

Heavy rain lashed eastern Japan on Thursday, leading to landslides, power outages, and the issuance of its highest-level heavy rain warning for the region, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). The weather authority had never previously issued such a warning for the Chiba region, which is home to over 100,000 households in Chiba, Ibaraki, and Saitama.

The torrential downpour caused flooding and submerged cars in Kashiwa, prompting people to evacuate. Approximately 100 millimeters of rain fell in the vicinity of Sakura city in Chiba within the last hour, according to NHK. The JMA's top-level warning typically indicates a high likelihood of an imminent disaster due to heavy rain.

Residents expressed concern about the sudden onset of the extreme weather, with one woman in Chiba's Ichikawa city worried about the impact on her business. Scientists attribute the frequency, duration, and intensity of such extreme weather events to human-driven climate change.