About 14,000 people were stuck in Narita International Airport as of 10:30 p.m. on Monday as the Japanese capital works to recover from one of its strongest typhoons in recent years.
East Japan Railway and Keisei Electric Railway halted trains to and from the airport, located 57 km from Tokyo, and bus service was suspended as well.
Transportation began to be restored only in the late afternoon, when the arrival lobby was already packed with returning travelers. Flights continued to arrive past 10 p.m.
Water, crackers and sleeping bags have been distributed to stranded passengers, the airport operator said.
A 32-year-old office worker said that when she arrived at Narita at around 2:30 p.m. from a trip to the U.S., the lobby was so crowded she could hardly move. About 100 people were in line for a taxi, she said.
“I can’t believe I can’t leave the airport,” she said. “This is the first time something like this has happened to me.”
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