Asian Games athletes evacuated as record rain floods Nagoya
About 400 athletes and staff were moved to higher ground after 104mm of rain fell in one hour, with venue leaks and transport disruptions reported.
Around 400 Asian Games athletes and staff were briefly evacuated to higher ground in Nagoya after record rainfall caused flooding across parts of the Japanese host city.
About 104mm of rain fell in one hour on Tuesday, prompting municipal officials to issue an evacuation order. The athletes, staying in converted shipping containers at the Garden Pier area, returned roughly two hours later after the order was lifted.
Rainwater entered several competition venues and some roofs leaked. Subway and bus services were temporarily halted, while local media reported that about 3,500 people sought shelter at emergency centres.
Mayor Ichiro Hirosawa said the athletes were unharmed and that the venues had not been seriously affected. He said events would proceed as scheduled, although the specific venues affected have not been independently assessed in the available reporting.
The Games’ opening ceremony is scheduled for 19 September, with basketball and other competitions due to begin on Thursday. More than 17,000 athletes and officials are expected to attend, with accommodation spread across hotels, a cruise ship and temporary facilities rather than a dedicated athletes’ village.
The flooding was reported by Al Jazeera, which also noted that the Japan Meteorological Agency had issued its highest flood warning for a major river in the area. Scientists have linked the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather in Japan and elsewhere to human-induced climate change.
