How much rain can a modern city take before its infrastructure gives way? That question is confronting residents of Japan’s Nagoya after an extraordinary downpour submerged roads, disrupted public transport and forced thousands to seek shelter.
Parts of Nagoya, Japan, have been hit by severe flooding after the city recorded 104.5 millimetres of rain in a single hour, marking its highest hourly rainfall on record.
The intense rainfall on Tuesday flooded roads and homes, stranded motorists and pedestrians and temporarily disrupted bus and subway services across parts of the city.
About 3,500 people sought shelter at emergency evacuation centres as authorities responded to the worsening conditions. The heavy rain also affected surrounding areas, with flooding reported in Aichi and Gifu prefectures.
The extreme weather caused further disruption at a time when Nagoya is preparing to host the 2026 Asian Games, which are scheduled to begin on September 19.
Authorities said athletes and staff staying in temporary accommodation were briefly moved to higher ground as a precaution. However, Nagoya Mayor Ichiro Hirosawa said there was no major damage to the Games’ venues and that preparations remained on track.
The rainfall has also triggered wider concern over the impact of increasingly intense weather events on densely populated urban areas.
