Asian Games host city hit by floods, official says 'we are not worried'

Athletes who arrived early for the Asian Games in Nagoya were safe after heavy rain caused flooding across parts of the central Japanese city, Mayor Ichiro Hirosawa said on Wednesday.The Asian Games are scheduled to begin on September 19 in Nagoya and surrounding areas and will continue until October 4. Hirosawa said the flooding had not affected the venues and that the event would go ahead as planned.“We are not worried about the conditions of the venues and we believe there is no problem holding the Asian Games as planned,” Hirosawa said, s quoted by news agncy Associated Press.More than 11,000 athletes from 45 countries and regions in Asia are expected to take part in the Games. That is more than the 10,700 athletes who competed at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.The previous edition of the Asian Games was held three years ago in Hangzhou, China.Hirosawa said around 400 athletes and staff staying in converted shipping containers, which have been remodelled as temporary housing units for the Asian Games, were briefly moved to higher ground during the heavy rain.There were also several reports of leaking roofs, but Hirosawa said there was no more serious damage around the dozens of Games venues.Record rainfall hit parts of Nagoya on Tuesday, flooding dozens of roads and homes and leaving pedestrians and vehicles stranded. Bus and subway services in the city were also temporarily suspended, the mayor said.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.