Hundreds of cars in Japan totaled in flood as parking lot becomes a lake

A record-breaking rainfall caused hundreds of totaled cars in Kusunoki Parking, an underground Japanese parking lot in Yokkaichi City, Mie Prefecture.

What began as a routine September evening quickly turned into a disaster when floodwaters surged into the facility.

Within just one hour, nearly five inches of rain fell, overwhelming the city’s drainage system.

By the time the storm had passed, hundreds of vehicles were sitting underwater with no hope of recovery.

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The parking lot was hit by record rainfall

The storm hit on the night of September 12, unleashing 123.5 mm (4.86 inches) of rain in just 60 minutes, which is the largest amount ever recorded in the region.

Kusunoki Parking, a parking facility near the city center, became the epicenter of the damage.

Employees tried to defend the building by stacking sandbags at entrances, but the sheer volume of water made their efforts futile.

Flooding reached the ceiling of the first underground floor and rose nearly four feet into the second, turning the garage into a massive indoor lake.

It was so serious that certain tricks to protect your car during a flood might not have worked.

According to Kurama News, the parking lot can house around 500 vehicles, but it wasn’t at full capacity that night.

Still, 274 cars were submerged, leaving their owners with little chance of recovery.

Pump trucks were deployed on September 13 to begin draining the site, yet it wasn’t until September 17 that the garage was finally cleared of water.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism later shared photos of the wreckage online, showing rows of cars caked in mud and debris.

These cars may be beyond repair

Some of the totaled cars were high-end models.

Among them were a Nissan R35 GT-R, a Porsche Cayman, and several Mercedes-Benz models.

These included a modified S-Class and G-Class, as well as a BMW X6.

More common cars were also lost, from Toyota Crowns and Land Cruiser Prados to Alphards, Priuses, and workhorses like the HiAce and Probox.

Even Japan’s iconic kei cars weren’t spared, as a Mitsubishi Delica Mini was also reportedly swallowed by the flood.

Even kei cars such as the Mitsubishi Delica Mini were swallowed by the flood.

With interiors soaked and mechanical systems ruined, these cars are almost certainly beyond repair.

The financial impact will be steep.

While the company that operates Kusunoki Parking has begun contacting owners and arranging removals, parking facilities typically aren’t liable for damage caused by natural disasters.

Instead, insurance coverage will carry the burden.

Policies in Japan often include flood protection, but with nearly 300 totaled cars, insurers are now facing a mountain of claims.

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