Nagoya | 09 Sep 2026
About 400 athletes and staff were temporarily evacuated after record rainfall flooded parts of Nagoya, but officials said the 2026 Asian Games would open as scheduled on 19 September.
Nagoya floods force athletes and staff to higher ground
The athletes and officials, who were staying in temporary container-style accommodation at Nagoya’s Garden Pier area, were moved to higher ground during the heavy rain on Tuesday. They later returned safely, and no injuries were reported.
The rainfall flooded dozens of roads and homes, stranded vehicles and pedestrians, and temporarily disrupted city bus and subway services. About 3,500 residents sought shelter at emergency evacuation centres, according to reports citing local authorities.
Asian Games venues escape major damage
Rainwater entered some Asian Games facilities and several venue roofs developed leaks. Nagoya Mayor Ichiro Hirosawa said, however, that no serious damage had been identified at the venues inspected within the city.
“We are not worried about the conditions of the venues and we believe there is no problem holding the Asian Games as planned.”
— Ichiro Hirosawa, Mayor of Nagoya
Hirosawa said authorities had not completed their assessment of areas outside Nagoya and therefore could not yet give a comprehensive account of conditions across every Games location.
Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games scheduled from 19 September
The 20th Asian Games will be held across Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture and other locations from 19 September to 4 October. More than 11,000 athletes representing 45 countries and regions are registered to participate.
Organisers are continuing safety inspections and preparations as the host region recovers from the flooding. Based on the information available on Wednesday, neither city authorities nor organisers had announced any postponement or change to the Games schedule.
