Thousands stranded as heavy rain kills at least four in Japan

At least four people died in eastern Japan after 'unprecedented' heavy rain that left thousands stranded at Narita airport overnight. Torrential downpours triggered landslide warnings and power outages, with forecasters issuing the highest-level heavy rain warning for the Chiba region for the first time. Those killed included a man in his 60s or 70s found floating in a flooded road and a 66-year-old woman stuck in her submerged car. The third fatality was a man of unknown age found collapsed on the street, and the fourth a person of undetermined gender and age. As of Friday noon, the death toll rose to six. Meanwhile, close to 26,000 households across Chiba prefecture were without power, with 45 houses flooded and 39 homes experiencing water seepage. Around 6,000 people were stranded overnight at Narita airport, with many trains and services cancelled until Friday afternoon. Passengers slept in the terminal, with airport staff providing free water, food, and sleeping bags. Hundreds were also stranded in Chiba station due to suspended train services, with many spending the night in shelters. A woman in Chiba's Ichikawa city expressed concern about business operations due to power outages. Scientists note that human-driven climate change is contributing to more frequent and intense extreme weather events.