Asian Games athletes forced to evacuate amid record rainfall in Japan

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.

“We are not worried about the conditions of the venues, and we believe there is no problem holding the Asian Games as planned,” he told reporters on Wednesday.