At least six people have died in unprecedented heavy rain in eastern Japan, disrupting roads and rail services and stranding thousands at Narita Airport. The report, published on August 14, said continuous heavy rain on Thursday night prompted landslide warnings. Weather authorities issued their highest-level heavy-rain alert for the Chiba region for the first time. About 26,000 households in Chiba were without electricity as of Friday morning, according to the disaster management office.

Chiba Prefecture's disaster management office said one victim, a man in his 60s or 70s, was found floating in floodwater on a road. A 66-year-old woman died after becoming trapped inside a submerged vehicle. A total of 45 homes were flooded in cities including Ichikawa, Kashiwa and Sakura, while water entered beneath the floors of another 39 homes.

About 7,000 people were stranded overnight at Narita, one of Tokyo's two main airports. Many trains to and from the airport were cancelled until Friday afternoon, while hundreds were also stranded at Chiba Station. Hundreds of people spent the night in shelters in different areas. Social media users said airport authorities provided stranded passengers with free water, food and sleeping bags.