After returning to Rabaul, "Agano" was near-missed by a bomb when the aircraft carriers and attacked the port on 5 November. The bomb damaged one anti-aircraft gun and killed one crewman. "Agano" and her sister put to sea on the following day to destroy the American forces near Empress Augusta Bay, but this was cancelled and the ships returned to Rabaul on 7 November. Four days later, the American aircraft carriers of Task Group 50.2 attacked Rabaul. "Agano" was hit by a Mark 13 torpedo which blew off the very end of her stern and bent her rearmost propeller shafts. The ship's rudder was not damaged, although Osugi was injured in the attack. After emergency repairs were made by the ship's crew, "Agano" departed Rabaul under her own power the next day, escorted by the destroyer . Not long after their departure, the ships were sighted by the American submarine , which launched six torpedoes. One of them struck the cruiser amidships, flooding all of the boiler rooms, which knocked out all power. While attempting to repair the damage, the submarine attempted to attack, but was prevented from doing so by depth charges from "Urakaze". "Noshiro" and the light cruiser were ordered to her assistance on the 13th and her sister took "Agano" in tow upon her arrival. The tow parted the following day and "Nagara" took over the task. The damaged ship finally reached Truk on 16 November.