Record rain forces Asian Games athletes to evacuate accommodation

This picture, taken on September 7, 2025, shows a man walking past an advertisement for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games outside the Nagoya City General Gymnasium Rainbow Hall, the venue for artistic, rhythmic and trampoline gymnastics competitions, at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, which is currently under construction in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. (Photo by Yuichi YAMAZAKI / AFP)

Hundreds of Asian Games athletes in Japan were briefly evacuated from their accommodation as record rainfall lashed host city Nagoya, with competition beginning on Thursday.

Rainwater also leaked into some competition venues, reports said, with more wet weather forecast for the coming days.

About 104mm (four inches) of rain fell in an hour in Nagoya on Tuesday, prompting municipal officials to issue an evacuation order for parts of the city.

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Scientists say human-induced climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of weather events in Japan and elsewhere.

There is no dedicated athletes’ village at this year’s Asian Games, with organizers instead relying on a cruise ship, temporary wooden containers and hotels.

An official with Nagoya Port Authority told AFP that “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 official said the athletes returned after the evacuation order was lifted about two hours later.

The Asian Games officially begin with an opening ceremony on September 19, but several events get under way before that.

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The basketball competition begins on Thursday.

Reports said rainwater was found in several competition venues.

City officials and Games organizers could not immediately confirm the extent of the damage.

More than 17,000 athletes and officials are expected at the Games — a bigger number than the Olympics.

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.

“Due to sudden heavy rainfall, the risk of serious rain-related disasters is increasing,” Nagoya City said on its website.

“Please exercise extreme caution regarding flooding in low-lying areas, rising river levels, and water accumulation in underpasses.”