Asian Games athletes evacuated as Nagoya venues leak

Hundreds of Asian Games athletes were briefly evacuated from accommodation in Nagoya after record rain hit the Japanese host city, where rainwater also leaked into some competition venues.

About 104mm of rain fell in one hour on Tuesday, prompting municipal officials to issue evacuation orders for parts of the city. A Nagoya Port Authority official told AFP that hundreds of athletes staying at the Garden Pier area, where temporary wooden container huts are located, were told to move to safety.

The athletes returned after the evacuation order was lifted about two hours later.

Nagoya Mayor Ichiro Hirosawa said rainwater had leaked from the roofs of some buildings but that the facilities were not seriously affected. He said the opening ceremony on September 19 was not in jeopardy and that he believed there would be no obstacles to holding the Asian Games.

The Games do not have a dedicated athletes' village this year, with organisers using a cruise ship, temporary wooden containers and hotels. More than 17,000 athletes and officials are expected. Several events are due to start before the opening ceremony, including basketball on Thursday.

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.

AFP quoted Hitomi Terada, who works at a hotel in the Chigusa district, as saying road blockages had caused severe traffic congestion, filled most of the hotel's 25 rooms with guests unable to go home and stopped some employees from reaching work.

Japan's weather agency issued warnings Wednesday for heavy rain and landslides, with rainfall expected to continue intermittently through Thursday in many areas, including Aichi prefecture. Scientists say human-induced climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of weather events in Japan and elsewhere.