Heavy Rain Across Central Japan Triggers Floods, Landslides and Travel Disruptions

From Sept 7 through Sept 9, a stalled autumn rain front combined with the remnants of Typhoon Krovanh produced intense precipitation across the Kanto, Chubu and Shikoku regions. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued Level 4 flood-danger warnings for multiple rivers in Tokyo on Sept 9 and a Level 5 emergency safety alert for Nagoya. Level 5 landslide warnings were posted for Niijima, Oshima and Toshima in the Izu Islands. The downpours caused road flooding, rail service reductions affecting more than 140,000 passengers, and damage to tourist sites.

Heavy rain disrupts travel for over 140,000 people in Tokyo area The Straits TimesLevel 5 Landslide Warnings Issued for Islands South of Tokyo Heavy Rain Triggers Flood Warnings in Tokyo Nagoya Streets Flood as Linear Rainbands Hit Aichi and Gifu Heavy Rain Swells Fukuroda Falls

Warm, humid air from Typhoon Krovanh merged with a stationary frontal system over the Pacific side of Honshu. The JMA noted that the front, which moved north of the Kanto plains on Sept 8, was expected to return southward on Sept 9, sustaining heavy rain across a wide area.

Heavy Rain Triggers Flood Warnings in Tokyo

• Hachioji, western Tokyo recorded 49.5 mm in one hour on Sept 8.

Level 5 Landslide Warnings Issued for Islands South of Tokyo

• Iwaki, Fukushima logged 193 mm in 12 hours, a September record.

Level 5 Landslide Warnings Issued for Islands South of Tokyo

• Niijima received 485 mm by 9:40 a.m. on Sept 7, the highest on record for the island.

Level 5 Landslide Warnings Issued for Islands South of Tokyo

• Oshima measured 581.5 mm in 24 hours on Sept 7.

Heavy rain disrupts travel for over 140,000 people in Tokyo area

• Near Nagoya, an estimated 100 mm fell within an hour, prompting a Level 4 heavy-rain warning.

Nagoya Streets Flood as Linear Rainbands Hit Aichi and Gifu

• The Tokaido Shinkansen suspended operations on part of its route on Sept 8; JR East reduced Yamanote Loop service to 70-80 % of normal capacity.

Heavy rain disrupts travel for over 140,000 people in Tokyo area

Residents near the Zenpukuji River in Suginami Ward observed rapidly rising water. In Nagoya, streets around Sakae Station were submerged, with water reaching the steps of a stopped bus. Tourist attractions suffered: Fukuroda Falls displayed a dramatically larger flow, while the Tokyo German Village in Chiba lost part of a 40,000-plant marigold field to runoff. On the Izu Islands, ferry cancellations stranded visitors, and a woman in her 60s was found dead in a submerged car in Iwaki.

Heavy Rain Swells Fukuroda Falls

• Takuya Hosomi, director of the JMA Forecast Division, urged residents on Sept 7 to move to buildings away from cliffs and ravines after issuing Level 5 landslide warnings for the Izu Islands.

Level 5 Landslide Warnings Issued for Islands South of Tokyo

• JR East posted advisories urging passengers to avoid stations during the storm and announced reduced service levels.

Heavy rain disrupts travel for over 140,000 people in Tokyo area

• The central government established a liaison headquarters at the Prime Minister’s Office to coordinate emergency response.

The Straits Times

The combination of saturated soils and continued rain created conditions where even light precipitation could trigger sudden river rises for up to a week, according to river-research expert Nobuyuki Tsuchiya of the Riverfront Research Center. Flooded roadways, overwhelmed drainage systems, and landslide-prone slopes pose ongoing threats to transportation networks, residential areas and tourism-dependent economies.

Heavy Rain Swells Fukuroda Falls

• “I hope the water level comes down soon.” — Forecasters

Heavy Rain Triggers Flood Warnings in Tokyo

The JMA’s half-day forecast projects rainfall totals of up to 120 mm in Kanto-Koshin and Hokuriku, 200 mm in Tokai and Kinki, and 150 mm in Shikoku by the morning of Sept 10. Authorities continue to urge residents to monitor updates, prepare for landslides, and avoid low-lying areas as rainbands may persist into the night of Sept 9.

Heavy Rain Triggers Flood Warnings in Tokyo