Torrential Rain Leaks Stadium Roofs, Forces Emergency Evacuation of Asian Games Delegation

[Anchor]

Heavy rain hit Nagoya, Japan, where the Asian Games are set to open in 10 days, causing rivers to overflow and flooding roads and shopping districts. The Asian Games delegation was forced to evacuate in an emergency, and rainwater even leaked through the roofs of some stadiums.

Our correspondent Mun Junmo reports from Tokyo.

[Reporter]

The Ueda River flowing through Nagoya surges with fierce currents, looking as if it could overflow at any moment.

Rainwater pours like a waterfall, turning a railway path into a river.

Closed-circuit television captured an entire bridge crossing a river being submerged in water in an instant.

In various places along the roads, rainwater burst through manhole covers like fountains, and underground shopping arcades were flooded before any countermeasures could be taken.

Vehicles that failed to escape from flooded underpasses were also witnessed.

As public transportation halted, citizens heading home from work found themselves stranded, with some giving up on returning home and looking for accommodations.

[Office Worker: I looked for a hotel, but they were fully booked. I never expected Nagoya to end up like this.]

A linear rainband, formed by long strips of rain clouds, developed yesterday evening over Aichi Prefecture, where Nagoya is located, and its surrounding areas.

In particular, Nagoya received a record-breaking 104.5 mm of rain per hour from 5 p.m. yesterday, prompting "emergency safety assurance" instructions for 1.17 million residents.

Athletes who arrived early for the Asian Games, which open on the 19th, were also temporarily evacuated after evacuation orders were issued for Minato Ward, their accommodation hub.

Some 3,500 people sought refuge at shelters such as city halls.

[Citizen Evacuated to City Hall: I tried to go back, but the subway stopped. I am going to wait here until my family comes to pick me up.]

Leaks were also confirmed at several Asian Games venues.

The city of Nagoya and the organizing committee are inspecting the scale of the water damage and its potential impact on the upcoming events.

The Japan Meteorological Agency urged people to prepare for disaster risks, forecasting up to 200 mm of additional rainfall in the same region through tomorrow daytime.

(Camera Reporter: Han Chul-min, Moon Hyun-jin | Video Editor: Wi Won-yang | Designer: Hwang Se-yeon)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.