Torrential rain near Tokyo causes flooding and paralyzes traffic, killing 1

Heavy rain battered eastern Japan on Thursday, inundating roads and homes, disrupting traffic, and leaving thousands without power near Tokyo, officials reported. At least one fatality was confirmed.

The Japan Meteorological Agency warned of intense rain in 14 municipalities in Chiba prefecture, advising residents to brace for potential floods and landslides. One person died in Ichikawa city, while two others trapped in a submerged car were rescued in Kashiwa city; their conditions were unknown.

NHK footage depicted pedestrians in Ichikawa train station wading through knee-deep floodwater, and vehicles stranded on flooded roads in other locations. Some train services were suspended.

Record-breaking rainfall of over 100 millimeters within an hour was forecast for Chiba City and several surrounding cities that night. Nearly 220,000 residents were urged to evacuate to safer locations, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

Meteorological forecast official Takuya Hosomi announced unprecedented rainfall levels during a televised emergency briefing. The torrential rain followed a tropical storm the previous day that injured at least seven people, downed trees, and caused widespread power outages in northeastern Japan.