At least 41 people suffered minor injuries after record-breaking rainfall hit Nagoya in central Japan, leading authorities to introduce emergency relief measures.
A powerful band of rain affected the Tokai region on Tuesday, flooding roads and railway lines and severely disrupting transportation in Nagoya. Around 1,600 people had moved to evacuation centers by Tuesday evening, while at least 200 vehicles were damaged.
The extreme weather also left commuters and students stranded overnight as train and subway services were suspended or disrupted.
The Japan Meteorological Agency issued its highest Level 5 emergency flood warning for the Shonai River, which runs through Aichi and neighboring Gifu prefecture, as water levels rose rapidly.
Heavy rain clouds also developed over the Tokai and Shikoku regions, causing exceptionally intense rainfall in several areas. The weather agency warned that further heavy rain could affect much of Japan through Thursday as an active weather front remains along the Pacific coast.
Forecasters expect up to 200 millimeters of rain in the Tokai and Kinki regions during the 24 hours leading to Thursday morning. Shikoku could receive around 150 mm, while Kanto-Koshin, including Tokyo, could see up to 120 mm.
Authorities warned that additional rainfall could cause flooding and landslides, particularly because the ground is already heavily saturated.
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