Four dead, thousands stranded as ‘unprecedented’ rain hits eastern Japan

At least four fatalities have been reported in eastern Japan following "unprecedented" heavy rain that left thousands stranded and disrupted transportation, according to authorities. The torrential downpours triggered landslide warnings, power outages, and a highest-level heavy rain warning for the Chiba region, the first time such a warning was issued.

Four individuals died, including a man in his 60s or 70s found floating on a flooded road and a 66-year-old woman trapped in her submerged car. Three others were found collapsed on the street, and a fifth person is feared dead, with a sixth missing. Nearly 26,000 households in Chiba prefecture lost power, and 45 houses experienced flooding.

Around 6,000 people were stranded overnight at Narita airport, one of Tokyo's main airports, with many trains cancelled until this afternoon. Airport staff provided free water, food, and sleeping bags to stranded travelers. The Japan Meteorological Agency described the rainfall as "shaping up to be an unprecedented level of heavy rain."

Social media users reported that staff at the airport distributed water, food, and sleeping bags to stranded passengers. Despite the surprise nature of the event, some individuals expressed concerns about the impact on their businesses and homes. As of this morning, the level-5 warnings of heavy rain had been downgraded to level-4.

Scientists attribute the increased frequency of extreme weather events to human-driven climate change.