Daily life east of Tokyo has been upended by the rain, which has cut power and left thousands at Narita and elsewhere without a way out. Four people are dead. Even with alerts downgraded, officials warn that the danger persists and more rain is in store for later Friday. For now, those in Chiba can expect prolonged disruption as the region deals with the aftermath.
Transport gridlock and emergency moves
There was chaos overnight along the region’s transport arteries. Some 7,000 were left to make do at Narita Airport when the highways and trains ground to a halt. A number of rail services were still not running on Friday morning, adding to the frustration of travellers making their way into the capital.
To help clear things up, the Ground Self Defense Force put out buses for some 4,000 who had made Soga Station their home for the night; it is a line that goes to Tokyo Disney as well. The park says it has seen no damage. NEXCO East, the highway operator, has shut down the main routes in Chiba, including the ones to central Tokyo from Narita, and the congestion is heavy.
Homes swamped and power knocked out
In several cities floodwater has made its way into neighbourhoods. According to Chiba authorities, over 80 houses have been inundated and close to 230,000 residents have been told to seek shelter. Emergency crews have been out reaching the stranded, while hundreds have taken refuge in the prefectural government building for the night.
Numbers from the prefecture earlier showed water in 45 homes in Ichikawa, Kashiwa and Sakura, and below floor level in another 39. Then there is the matter of the power. TEPCO Power Grid put the count of homes without electricity on Friday morning at 23,000, though it was 68,000 before. The disaster office in the prefecture has its own figure of nearly 26,000 households affected.
Record rain and shifting warnings
Chiba City saw 11.5 centimeters in an hour and 9.7 in Sakura, both record numbers. An official with the Japan Meteorological Agency noted the unprecedented nature of the rain as it turned to mud and swamped cars and homes alike, not to mention sections of the railway.
Late Thursday the JMA put out its top-tier heavy rain warning for Chiba, the first of its kind, alongside concerns over blackouts and landslides. By Friday morning they had been reduced to level-4 as the rain let up for a time, but forecasters do not rule out more later in the day.
Casualties confirmed and continuing risks
Four fatalities have been confirmed by Chiba officials and one person remains unaccounted for. Among the dead are a man found in a flooded road in Ichikawa and a woman in a car under water in Sakura. In Kashiwa another was pulled from his vehicle and is presumed to have perished. One victim was found collapsed in the street and his identity was not at first known.
The toll is still being assessed as circumstances evolve. There was talk of a fifth death in earlier accounts. With the coming of day the search has gone on, and emergency personnel have worked all night to get to anyone hemmed in by debris or water.
Here is what has been done and what residents should be watching for:
– A level-5 heavy rain warning was put in place and subsequently downgraded
– Stranded passengers on the rails have been bussed out
– NEXCO East has closed off the highways in Chiba
– Nearly 230,000 have been given the word to take shelter
It is the view of scientists that climate change is behind the frequency and ferocity of such extreme weather. As the rain is set to come back on Friday, the message from authorities is to be wary of the swollen waterways and soft ground. It will be in the next few hours we see if Chiba’s utilities and transport can be put back on a steady footing while the crews are at work.
