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Japan’s Meteorological Agency said the most recent deluge was brought by warm, humid air flowing into the country’s east that combined with cold air above to make atmospheric conditions extremely unstable.<\/p>\n
The rains are expected to last through late on Friday.<\/p>\n
“This case was an extremely unusual situation, even by Japan’s historical weather standards,” Chiba Governor Toshihito Kumagai told reporters on Friday morning.<\/p>\n
“I have responded to many disasters in the past, but I have never experienced a case like this.”<\/p>\n
Chiba, which sits right next to Tokyo, has logged more than 100mm of rain per hour since Thursday afternoon, authorities say.<\/p>\n
This is about three times the average rainfall in August, and the highest volume of precipitation ever recorded in the country.<\/p>\n
Authorities would prioritise saving lives and persist with rescue efforts, Kumagai added.<\/p>\n
At lest eight people have died, according to reports from public broadcaster NHK, Kyodo news agency and Asahi newspaper.<\/p>\n
Among those killed was a woman who died inside her car submerged on a flooded road, authorities said. Two others collapsed along the streets and later died.<\/p>\n
The Japan Meteorological Agency earlier described the situation as an “unprecedented level of heavy rain”.<\/p>\n
Several rail services remain suspended on Friday morning while some major highways are also shut.<\/p>\n
More than 100,000 households have been asked to evacuate on Thursday after the rain triggered landslides and power outages.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n