Heavy rains lash eastern Japan, leaving one dead and disrupting travel
Heavy rain in eastern Japan caused flooding, one presumed death, and transport disruption. A top-level landslide warning was issued for Niijima island.
Torrential rain battered eastern Japan on Monday, triggering widespread flooding that left one person presumed dead and severely disrupted transport networks, including in the capital Tokyo.
In Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, officials reported that a woman in her 60s is presumed dead after being rescued from a vehicle submerged in a flooded underpass. Video footage from the scene showed the underpass largely underwater.
The Japan Meteorological Agency issued its highest-level warning for landslides for Niijima, one of the islands south of Tokyo, as the heavy rain continued to saturate the ground.
The extreme weather forced the temporary closure of hundreds of schools, primarily in the Kanto and Tohoku regions, according to Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara.
Rail services were also significantly affected. East Japan Railway Company (JR East) announced a partial suspension of its Yamagata Shinkansen line in the northeast. Commuters in Tokyo faced delays as JR East reduced services on several key lines, including the Yamanote and Sobu lines.
In the city of Sendai, vehicles were seen navigating through submerged roads, while in Ishinomaki, train services were halted and residents huddled under umbrellas amid the relentless downpour.