On Friday, January 16, a massive power outage paralyzed the main railway lines of the Japanese capital. The accident occurred during the morning rush hour, blocking traffic on key routes and forcing millions of passengers to look for alternative ways to travel or stay home to work. This is reported by Bloomberg, writes UNN.
Details
According to the operator East Japan Railway Co. (JR East), as of 10:00 local time, traffic on the Yamanote loop line, which passes through Shinjuku - the world's busiest station - remained completely suspended. The Keihin Tohoku and Tokaido lines were also affected. Stable operation is not expected to resume before 13:00.
The cause of the failure was a fire in electrical equipment near the railway tracks. As reported by broadcaster NHK with reference to the Tokyo Fire Department, the fire has already been extinguished, but experts are still investigating the direct connection between this incident and the power outage of the entire network.
Consequences for passengers and the market
Tokyo is known for its highly punctual railway system, so the sudden collapse caused chaos on the platforms.
JR East shares fell by 3.6% amid the incident, which was the largest intraday drop in the company's shares since April last year.
Passengers had to storm alternative bus routes and taxis, which led to traffic jams on the roads.
The city administration reminded that more than 14 million people use the railway daily in Tokyo and neighboring prefectures, so even a short delay causes a chain reaction throughout the country's transport system.