Record Rains Cripple Chiba; Narita Airport Strands 7,000 Travelers
AM730 · 4 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
Record-breaking rainfall struck Japan's Chiba Prefecture on August 13, 2025, causing catastrophic flooding that left Narita Airport temporarily isolated with all ground transportation suspended. At least four people were killed and approximately 7,000 travelers were stranded at the airport overnight, with authorities distributing emergency supplies. The Japan Meteorological Agency described the event as a "once-in-decades" disaster, issuing its highest-level emergency warning to 18 municipalities. The storm also disrupted power to tens of thousands of homes and prompted evacuation orders for hundreds of thousands of residents.
Key Points
- Accumulated rainfall in Chiba reached 347mm, nearly triple the normal August total, with some areas recording over 115mm in a single hour
- The Japan Meteorological Agency issued Level 5 (highest) heavy rain emergency warnings to 18 municipalities across the Kanto region
- All ground transportation to Narita Airport was suspended, including JR and Keisei Electric Railway services, expressway buses, and taxis
- Approximately 7,000 passengers were stranded at Narita Airport overnight, receiving sleeping bags, food, and water from airport staff
- Over 400,000 people across Chiba, Ibaraki, and Saitama prefectures received evacuation orders during the peak of the storm
- The Japan Self-Defense Forces were deployed to evacuate approximately 4,000 residents stranded near JR Soga Station
Why It Matters
Hong Kong travelers face continued disruption as airlines including Cathay Pacific and HK Express offer fee waivers for rebooking flights affected by the disaster . The incident highlights the vulnerability of airport infrastructure to extreme weather events and the challenges faced by travelers when ground transportation networks fail simultaneously.
Hong Kong travelers face continued disruption as airlines including Cathay Pacific and HK Express offer fee waivers for rebooking flights affected by the disaster . The incident highlights the vulnerability of airport infrastructure to extreme weather events and the challenges faced by travelers when ground transportation networks fail simultaneously.