Heavy Rain Batters Japan’s Tokyo

(MENAFN) Heavy rain battered Tokyo and neighboring regions Thursday afternoon, triggering widespread power outages, flood alerts, and disruptions to air and rail travel.

At 2:51 p.m. local time, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued an unprecedented short-duration heavy rain warning for Tokyo’s Setagaya, Meguro, and Ota wards, as well as parts of Kawasaki and Yokohama in Kanagawa Prefecture. Hourly rainfall rates surged to approximately 100 to 130 millimeters, overwhelming drainage systems.

Authorities raised flood advisories along key rivers such as the Meguro River in Meguro Ward, Myoshoji River in Nakano Ward, Shakujii River in Nerima Ward, and the Nogawa and Senkawa rivers in Setagaya Ward. Additionally, landslide warnings were issued for several Tokyo wards, including Ota, Meguro, Shinagawa, Setagaya, and Minato.

Lightning forced the temporary suspension of air traffic control and ground operations at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, halting aircraft takeoffs, the transport ministry confirmed.

Meanwhile, JR Tokai announced a pause in Shinkansen services between Shinagawa Station in Tokyo and Shin-Yokohama Station in Kanagawa Prefecture due to heavy rain affecting nearby Kawasaki.

By 5:04 p.m. local time, power outages affected 6,240 households across the Kanto region, with Tokyo alone accounting for 4,230, mostly concentrated in Shinagawa, Ota, and Meguro wards, according to Tokyo Electric Power Company.

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