Asian Games brace for typhoon after record rain

Approximately 4,000 athletes and officials are currently aboard the massive Costa Serena cruise ship, which is anchored in Nagoya's port to house the athletes during the Asian Games. This unprecedented situation arose following a record-breaking downpour in the port city of Nagoya, with over 17,000 athletes and officials now residing in temporary accommodations including hotels, temporary huts, and the colossal cruise ship.

The torrential rain last week prompted a brief evacuation from the makeshift lodgings, with athletes lamenting the subpar conditions of the huts, such as beds that were too short. Now, as the Asian Games draw closer, meteorologists have warned that a typhoon could potentially disrupt the event. The storm's trajectory is currently unclear, but should it make landfall near Nagoya, the cruise ship might be forced to evacuate and be relocated.

While the Asahi Shimbun quoted an unnamed sports federation official praying that the worst-case scenario does not occur, local organisers remain on high alert. September and October are typhoon seasons in Japan, and although the weather was dry on Thursday, heavy rain on Tuesday led to the cancellation of a women's cricket match between China and Bangladesh.

The city recorded a staggering 104mm of rain in a single hour, leading to temporary flooding in several venues. Climate scientists warn that human-induced climate change is exacerbating the frequency and intensity of such weather events globally.