Japan logs historic high temperature amid persistent heat wave
The mercury hit 41.1 C (106 F) in Kumagaya, Saitama Prefecture, near Tokyo, at 2:16 p.m., eclipsing the previous record of 41.0 C marked in August 2013 in Shimanto, Kochi Prefecture, in western Japan, while Tokyo also logged its all-time high of 40.8 C in the city of Ome, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency, KYODO NEWS reports.
Temperatures in Tajimi, Gifu Prefecture, rose to 40.5 C after the central Japan city already reported 40.7 C on Wednesday, the agency said.
Of the agency's 927 observation points across the country, nearly 70 percent, or 624, recorded temperatures over 30 C, and 224 registered readings surpassing 35 C.
The heat wave, which has persisted for two weeks right after torrential rains caused massive flooding and landslides in the country's west, has already claimed dozens of lives across Japan.
The scorching weather has resulted in the deaths of more than 40 people and sent tens of thousands to hospitals, according to a Kyodo News tally and local authorities. On Saturday alone, at least 11 people died from suspected heatstroke.
On Monday, at least six people, all senior citizens, died in prefectures surrounding Tokyo, according to the local authorities.
Among them was a 91-year-old woman who was found collapsed in a field in Ibaraki Prefecture and was later pronounced dead at a hospital.
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