More than 360 millimetres of rain fell within 24 hours in parts of Chiba prefecture, near Tokyo, triggering severe flooding and disrupting transport during one of Japan's busiest holiday weeks.
Eyewitness footage from Thursday, August 13, showed floodwater gushing down stairs and an escalator inside a popular shopping mall at Chiba Station, a major regional railway hub. Roads and railway lines were inundated, while power supplies were disrupted for nearly 25,000 households.
Authorities have confirmed at least four deaths in the flooding, including one person who was reportedly trapped inside a submerged vehicle. Rescue and relief operations are underway, with soldiers deployed to assist emergency teams and affected communities.
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