As much of Europe remains trapped in a constant heatwave, across the world record rainfalls are causing deaths, serious injuries, and power outages. In what authorities are describing as "unprecedented" rainfalls, Japan's eastern regions are being pummelled, causing at least six deaths, as well as five others to be wounded.
The rains also caused 20,000 households to lose power, and 7,000 travellers were left stranded in Tokyo's Narita airport. Chiba prefecture, which is near to the capital Tokyo, has been hit the hardest. According to BBC News, local authorities introduced the highest level of emergency warning on Thursday, though this was reduced on Friday morning.
Landslides and flooding risks are still present, as rains are expected to last until late in the day on Friday, the 14th of August. "This case was an extremely unusual situation, even by Japan's historical weather standards," said Chiba governor Toshihito Kumagai. "I have responded to many disasters in the past, but I have never experienced a case like this."
