Record rain forces Asian Games athletes to evacuate accommodation

Tokyo - Hundreds of athletes competing at this year's Asian Games in Japan were briefly evacuated from their accommodations due to record rainfall that hit the host city of Nagoya. The intense downpour also caused water to leak into some competition venues, with more wet weather expected in the days to come. Approximately 104mm (four inches) of rain fell within an hour in Nagoya on Tuesday, leading municipal authorities to issue an evacuation order for certain parts of the city.

Organizers of the Asian Games, which are taking place without a designated athletes' village, have been relying on a cruise ship, temporary wooden containers, and hotels to house the participants. An official from Nagoya Port Authority informed AFP that hundreds of athletes residing in the Garden Pier area, where the wooden container huts are located, were instructed to move to safety. These individuals returned to their original accommodations about two hours after the evacuation order was lifted.

The Asian Games are set to commence with an opening ceremony on September 19, although several events have already begun. Basketball competition is scheduled to start on Thursday. However, the heavy rainfall has resulted in some competition venues experiencing water damage. The exact extent of the damage has yet to be confirmed by city officials and the Games organizers.

With over 17,000 athletes and officials anticipated to attend the Games, which is a larger turnout than the Olympics, subway and bus services in Nagoya were temporarily suspended on Tuesday. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued its highest flood warning for a major river in the area, warning of an increased risk of serious rain-related disasters. The Nagoya City website stated, "Please exercise extreme caution regarding flooding in low-lying areas, rising river levels, and water accumulation in underpasses."