Hundreds of Asian Games athletes in Japan were briefly evacuated from their accommodation as record rainfall lashed host city Nagoya, officials have said. About 104mm (4 inches) of rain fell in an hour in Nagoya on Tuesday, prompting municipal officials to issue an evacuation order for parts of the city. Competition is set to begin on Thursday, with rainwater leaking into some competition venues and more wet weather forecast for the coming days.
Scientists say human-induced climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of weather events in Japan and elsewhere. This year’s Asian Games has no dedicated athletes’ village, with organisers instead relying on a cruise ship, temporary wooden containers and hotels. An official with Nagoya Port Authority said “hundreds” of athletes staying at the city’s Garden Pier area, where the wooden container huts are located, were told to move to safety.
The athletes returned after the evacuation order was lifted about two hours later. Mayor Ichiro Hirosawa said the extensive flooding left the athletes unharmed. Hirosawa said about 400 athletes and staff members staying in converted shipping containers — remodelled to serve as temporary housing units for the Asian Games — were briefly evacuated to higher ground during the heavy rain.
He said there were a number of leaking roofs but nothing more serious around the dozens of games venues. The Asian Games officially begin with an opening ceremony on September 19, but several events get under way earlier, with the basketball competition beginning on Thursday. Rainwater was found in several competition venues, but Mayor Hirosawa said the facilities were not seriously affected and that events would go on as scheduled.
Subway and bus services in Nagoya were temporarily halted on Tuesday, and the Japan Meteorological Agency issued its highest flood warning for a major river in the area. Local media reports said about 3,500 people took shelter at emergency evacuation centres.
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