Japan Issues Level‑5 Rain Alert; Floods Claim Six Lives

A powerful rain system that moved over eastern Japan on Thursday night triggered the nation’s highest rain warning, Level 5, and caused six deaths across Chiba prefecture and nearby areas.

The Japan Meteorological Agency warned residents of more than 33 percent of Chiba’s municipalities to stay inside and avoid unnecessary travel. The alert covered cities such as Ichikawa and Sakura.

In Ichikawa, a man was found dead after floodwaters swept him away. In Sakura, a 66‑year‑old woman trapped inside a vehicle on a water‑covered road could not be rescued and later died. Police also recovered two more victims: one who collapsed on a flooded street and another who fell while navigating the rising water.

The downpour halted train services and clogged major roads, leaving many commuters stranded. A prefectural government building was turned into an emergency shelter, hosting roughly 1,800 people seeking refuge.

Local administrators urged the public to implement safety precautions as the flooding persisted and traffic snarled. By Friday morning, the Level 5 warning was lowered as the rain intensity decreased.

The Fire and Disaster Management Agency issued evacuation orders for over 400,000 residents, directing about 102,600 people in Chiba to move to safe locations by 11 a.m. local time.

More than 200 relief centers have been opened across Chiba, Ibaraki, Saitama and Gunma to provide shelter, food, and medical care. The storm also caused power outages for approximately 45,000 households in the Chiba region.