Through the Lens: Record rainfall in Nagoya wreaks havoc on Asian Games

Pedestrians navigate a flooded street on Sept. 8 after record rainfall hit Nagoya city. © Kyodo Just 11 days before the official start of the Asian Games in Nagoya, a band of heavy clouds developed over the central Japanese region before pouring down and wreaking havoc on the host city, threatening the opening of the quadrennial event. The city recorded 104.5 millimeters of rainfall in an hour, the highest ever, and issued an emergency alert to its population of approximately 1.17 million. The unprecedented downpour flooded streets and caused major disruption to transportation. Train, subway and bus services were suspended, leaving commuters stranded. At Nagoya Station, large crowds gathered to check their train status on electronic signboards. Around 3,500 people sheltered at 17 temporary sites. Much of the city was flooded. Water flowed onto train stations, turning the JR Chuo Line tracks into a river. Cars were stranded in flooded underpasses. Around 400 athletes participating in the Games were temporarily evacuated to a safe location. They later returned to Garden Pier after the evacuation order was lifted. Despite the disruption, the Games are expected to proceed as scheduled.

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