From Europe to Asia, floods to heatwaves, world experiences weather shocks

A man rides his bike along a flooded road near Chiba metro station in Chiba, Japan, on Aug. 13, 2026, as heavy rain swept through the area. Torrential rain pummeled eastern Japan, triggering landslides and power outages, and prompting the weather authority to issue its highest-level heavy rain warning for the region for the first time. PHILIP FONG/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

In Japan, record-breaking rains outside the capital Tokyo on Friday led to widespread flooding and at least eight deaths, according to Japanese media.

The overnight rains also knocked out transportation during the peak of holiday travel season.

Some parts of Chiba prefecture outside Tokyo saw three times more rain in half a day than they usually see for the whole month of August, according to Japan's meteorological agency.

Evacuation orders were issued for more than 100,000 residents. About 40 percent of the prefectures, cities and towns were flooded. More than 20,000 households lost power. Several of those who died were found on flooded roads trapped in submerged cars, according to Kyodo News.

Trains and highways were shut down, and thousands of travelers were stranded at Narita International Airport, which serves Tokyo.

The rainfall and floods come as the country celebrates the Obon festival, when many Japanese travel to their hometowns, join festivals and prepare special foods.

Picture taken on August 14, 2026 with a drone shows the "Binger Mäuseturm" (Bingen Mouse Tower) on a small island in the dried-up river Rhine near Bingen, western Germany. As a heat wave dries Germany's rivers, government ministers are at odds over what to do about it -- re-engineer the waterways or restore them to their natural state. TORSTEN SILZ/AFP via Getty Images hide caption