Death toll from torrential rain in eastern Japan rises to 8

At least eight people were killed as torrential rain battered eastern Japan on Thursday night, triggering severe flooding, disrupting transport and prompting evacuation orders for more than 400,000 people, local media reported Friday.

Japan's weather agency issued its highest Level 5 heavy rain warning for more than one-third of municipalities in Chiba Prefecture, near Tokyo, as authorities urged residents to take immediate measures to protect themselves, according to Kyodo News.

This marked the first time the maximum-level warnings had been issued since the system was introduced in May. All were downgraded Friday morning.

Flooded roads were reported across Chiba, trapping vehicles and causing traffic congestion, and several municipalities received Level 5 landslide warnings.

Evacuation orders were issued for more than 400,000 people in Chiba and Ibaraki prefectures at one point, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.

Authorities confirmed eight deaths, including a man found in floodwaters in Ichikawa and others who were trapped in flooded vehicles in Sakura and Kashiwa.

More than 200 evacuation centers were established across Chiba, Ibaraki, Saitama and Gunma prefectures.

Around 7,000 people were forced to spend the night at Narita Airport after train and bus services were disrupted, while about 1,700 took shelter at the Chiba prefectural government building.

The Chiba government requested assistance from the Self-Defense Forces to transport stranded commuters as major passenger rail lines were suspended.

Power outages also affected approximately 45,000 homes across Chiba Prefecture at one point.

Chiba's Chuo Ward recorded 115 millimeters (4.5 inches) of rain in one hour Thursday night, roughly equivalent to its average rainfall for the entire month of August.

Sakura recorded a record 189.5 millimeters (7.5 inches) of rain in three hours as meteorologists warned that heavy rain could persist through Saturday.