A record-breaking deluge has thrown parts of eastern Japan into chaos, leaving at least four people dead and around 7,000 travelers stranded overnight at Narita International Airport.

The torrential rain battered Chiba Prefecture, just east of Tokyo, during one of Japan’s busiest holiday travel periods. More than 360 millimeters (14 inches) of rain fell in some areas within 24 hours, overwhelming roads, railways and drainage systems.

Thousands trapped inside the airport
Narita Airport itself remained operational, but the transportation network surrounding it was severely disrupted.

Train services were suspended and major highways were closed, leaving thousands of passengers with no way to leave the airport.

Around 7,000 travelers spent the night inside the terminal, with airport staff handing out blankets, water and snacks as passengers settled on the floor.

Some travelers described the experience as something they would never forget.

One passenger told Japanese public broadcaster NHK that the trip had become an experience they would remember forever.

Record rainfall overwhelmed Chiba
The situation outside the airport was even more serious.

Roads turned into rivers, vehicles became trapped in floodwater and homes were inundated.

In Chiba City, rainfall reached approximately 115 millimeters in a single hour, an unprecedented level for the area. Japan’s Meteorological Agency issued its highest-level heavy-rain warning for multiple municipalities.

At the height of the storm, tens of thousands of homes lost electricity.

More than 22,000 households were still without power Friday morning, according to Tokyo Electric Power.

Four people have died
Authorities confirmed at least four deaths linked to the flooding.

Among the victims were a man found in floodwater and a 66-year-old woman who was trapped inside a submerged vehicle.

At least one other person remained missing as rescue and recovery operations continued.

The Japanese government also deployed soldiers to help with emergency relief efforts.

The airport slowly returns to normal
By Friday morning, some train services connecting Narita with Tokyo had resumed, allowing stranded passengers to gradually leave the airport.

Flights were still scheduled to operate, although delays were expected.

But authorities warned that the danger had not completely passed, with continued risks from flooding and landslides in parts of the region.

For thousands of travelers, what was supposed to be an ordinary journey through one of Asia’s busiest airports suddenly became a night spent sleeping on terminal floors.

Record rain. Flooded roads. Suspended trains. Thousands trapped.

And while transportation is slowly recovering, emergency crews are still working to help communities hit hardest by one of the most extreme rainfall events Japan has experienced in years.