Record rainfall in Chiba kills four, leaves over 22,000 households without power

Record rainfall in Chiba Prefecture has led to at least three fatalities and left more than 22,000 households without electricity during Japan’s busy Bon Buddhist holiday week. The downpour, described by the Japan Meteorological Agency as a local record for the month, triggered flash floods and landslides across several municipalities, prompting evacuations and the deployment of fire‑department rescue teams. Authorities reported that the worst impacts were concentrated in the coastal city of Chiba and the inland areas of Kisarazu and Ichihara, where water levels rose rapidly and power lines were knocked down.

Emergency crews continued to restore services and assess damage as the holiday period progressed, with utility companies working around the clock to reconnect electricity to affected neighborhoods. Local officials urged residents to stay indoors, avoid flooded routes, and follow updates from the prefectural disaster management office. The incident underscores the heightened vulnerability of densely populated regions to extreme weather events, even during traditionally high‑travel periods such as the Bon holiday.