Japan’s record rains strand thousands at Narita airport; kill eight

KUALA LUMPUR, 15 AUGUST 2026 —

TOKYO — Record rainfall in Japan stranded thousands of travelers at Tokyo’s Narita International Airport on Friday, submerging surrounding areas, disrupting transport, and killing eight people.

The downpour disrupted transport, cut power to 20,000 homes, and forced soldiers to assist in rescue efforts. Chiba Governor Toshihito Kumagai described the situation as “extremely unusual,” stating he had never encountered a disaster of this scale before. The fatalities included one person trapped in a submerged vehicle, according to public broadcaster NHK, citing local authorities.

At Narita Airport, staff distributed sleeping bags, water, and snacks to stranded passengers, many of whom had spent the night after transport disruptions left about 7,000 people stranded. “I queued for a taxi, but the wait was four hours,” said Minoru Yamasaki, a 48-year-old Chiba resident returning from holiday. Most flights were expected to resume normal operations on Friday, an airport spokesperson said.

Power outages affected over 20,000 homes after a substation flooded, while gas supply to nearly 13,000 homes was temporarily cut. In Chiba city, hundreds sought refuge in makeshift evacuation centers. Major highways were shut, forcing detours that caused traffic jams, while several rail services remained suspended. Weather authorities confirmed the 367 mm (14.5 inches) of rain in Chiba surpassed the previous record of 309 mm (12.17 inches) set in October 2013.

Details on long-term recovery efforts remain unavailable.