Thousands stranded at Japanese airport after record rains kill four

Record-breaking rains stranded thousands of travelers at Tokyo’s Narita Airport on Friday, after floods that swept through the surrounding area disrupted transportation, cut power to homes, and claimed at least four lives.

More than 360 millimeters of rain fell over 24 hours in parts of neighboring Chiba Prefecture, near the capital Tokyo, inundating roads and railways during one of Japan’s busiest holiday weeks.

Authorities confirmed that four people have died so far, including one who was trapped in a car submerged by floodwaters, while another remains missing. Military personnel have been deployed to the area to assist in relief efforts.

According to Tokyo Electric Power Company, more than 22,000 households remained without electricity as of 02:00 GMT on Friday.

In Chiba City, one of the hardest-hit areas, hundreds spent the night sheltered under aluminum foil blankets in government buildings used as temporary evacuation centers.

A spokesperson for Narita Airport said that transport disruptions had stranded approximately 7,000 people at the airport, adding that all flights were scheduled to resume normal operations on Friday.

Japan Airlines stated that some flights might be delayed, but no cancellations were expected at present.

Several major highways in Chiba were closed, forcing drivers to take alternative routes and causing severe traffic congestion.