Overview
- Emergency agencies say the extreme rains that struck on Thursday dumped more than 100 mm per hour in parts of Chiba, producing rapid flooding and at least six confirmed fatalities.
- The Japan Meteorological Agency issued Level 5 warnings for many Chiba municipalities and issued multiple landslide alerts for cities including Chiba and Ichihara.
- Evacuation orders first covered over 400,000 people in Chiba and Ibaraki and remained in place for about 126,000 residents by 07:00 on Friday as shelters opened across nearby prefectures.
- Transport and utilities were severely disrupted with thousands stranded overnight at Narita Airport, many rail services suspended, some highways closed, and Tokyo Electric Power reporting roughly 45,000 households without power.
- Meteorologists say the storm formed when warm, humid easterly air met colder air aloft, and officials warn the Level 5 alert denotes immediate, life-threatening danger as rescue teams continue damage assessments and response operations.