Parking Garage Becomes a Lake as Hundreds of Vehicles Are Damaged in Japan Flood | Carscoops

      The first level of the facility in Japan was completely flooded, resulting in all the vehicles being sent to the scrapyard.

      12 hours ago

      by Thanos Pappas

      Yokkaichi City in Japan experienced 123.5 mm of rainfall within an hour, leading to significant issues.

      A two-story underground parking area was inundated, with 274 vehicles suffering water damage.

      Among the damaged vehicles were a Nissan R35 GT-R and a modified Mercedes S-Class.

      Typically, parking a car in a secure structure feels like a wise decision, but even such facilities can be overwhelmed by severe natural events. In Japan, an underground parking garage was severely affected by flooding after unprecedented rainfall, resulting in 274 vehicles being rendered unrepairable.

      The storm struck on the night of September 12 in Yokkaichi City, Mie Prefecture. In just one hour, 123.5 mm (4.86 inches) of rain fell, marking the highest amount ever recorded in the area. This extraordinary volume overwhelmed the city's drainage system.

      Overwhelmed Defenses

      Kusunoki Parking, situated close to the city center, was unable to withstand the deluge. Even though staff attempted to block the entrances with sandbags, the water entered uncontrollably. Following the rain, the first floor, with a ceiling height of 3.5 m (11.5 feet), was entirely submerged, while the second floor was flooded to a height of 1.2 m (3.9 feet).

      According to Kuruma News, the parking facility can host around 500 vehicles over two levels, but it was not at full capacity during the storm. Nevertheless, 274 cars were ensnared within, with little hope for recovery. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported.

      The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s Mie River National Highway Office

      After the flooding, officials commenced draining operations on September 13 using pump trucks, but the garage remained flooded until the morning of September 17. The Ministry later shared images of the destruction on X, illustrating the extent of the catastrophe.

      Among the submerged vehicles were notable models such as a Nissan R35 GT-R and what appeared to be a Porsche Cayman. The collection also featured various Mercedes cars, including a modified S-Class, G-Class, CLA Shooting Brake, and A-Class, in addition to a BMW X6.

      Additionally, there were many Toyotas, such as the Crown Sedan, Land Cruiser Prado, Prius, Alphard, HiAce, and Probox. Furthermore, several kei cars, such as the charming Mitsubishi Delica Mini, were also present. The mud indicates that most of the vehicles were completely submerged, allowing rainwater to enter their interiors and mechanical systems.

      Understandably, the financial impact will be significant. The company managing the underground parking has started identifying vehicle owners to coordinate removals. However, since parking facilities typically disclaim liability for natural disasters, compensation will mainly depend on insurance coverage. In Japan, policies generally cover flood damage, but claims of this magnitude will be considerable.

      【四日市地下駐車場】地下２階の被害状況調査中の様子その２です。#くすの木パーキング #四日市豪雨 pic.twitter.com/m0B9LfipMK

      — 国土交通省　三重河川国道事務所 (@mlit_mie) September 16, 2025