CHIBA - More than 1,200 vehicles are believed to have been left stranded on roads across Chiba Prefecture after torrential rain caused widespread flooding, with authorities confirming eight deaths and investigating a drainage pump failure at an underpass where a man died.
According to Chiba Prefecture and Chiba City, more than 200 vehicles became immobilized after being submerged or otherwise affected by flooding on prefectural and national roads, while the number of abandoned vehicles within Chiba City alone is expected to exceed 1,000.
The stranded vehicles are creating additional hazards on roads still affected by the disaster.
At around 4:30 a.m., a passenger car traveling through Inage Ward in Chiba City crashed into a vehicle that had been abandoned on the roadway. The driver complained of chest pain following the collision.
Chiba Prefecture and police said eight men and women have so far been confirmed dead as a result of the torrential rain.
One man remains missing in Wakaba Ward, Chiba City, and police are continuing a search for him.
The heavy rain has also caused extensive property damage. One building in Chiba City was completely destroyed, while a total of 480 buildings have suffered flooding above or below floor level and other water-related damage.
Authorities are also investigating the circumstances surrounding a fatal incident at an underpass in Chuo Ward, Chiba City, where a vehicle became submerged and a man in his 40s was confirmed dead.
According to the Chiba National Highway Office, a drainage pump designed to operate when the underpass becomes flooded failed to function properly.
A backup emergency generator that was supposed to start automatically during a power outage also failed to operate.
The Chiba National Highway Office is investigating the cause of the malfunction.
Source: TBS
