Extreme heat wave grips Japan A volunteer, for recovery work, uses a pack of refrigerant to a cool down as she takes a break in a heat wave at a flood affected area in Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture, Japan, July 14, 2018. (Photo: Issei Kato/Reuters) At least 44 people have died across Japan as extreme heat waves continue to grip the east-Asia nation. According to CNN, out of the 44 that have died since July 9, as many as 11 lives were claimed on Saturday alone, with the mercury remaining around the 38 degree Celsius mark in central Tokyo. Meanwhile, the temperature soared past 41 degrees Celsius in Kumagaya, the highest ever recorded temperature in Japan. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the temperatures recorded have been around 12 degrees higher than the average temperatures. The agency has also alerted people to take appropriate measures to counter the scorching heat. Keeping oneself hydrated, staying away from direct sunlight, and the use of air conditioners is encouraged, with the agency warning that the “potential for heat illness is higher than usual.” With the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics due to start in two years’ time, authorities have predicted high temperatures for Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu islands, where the mercury is likely to rise up or even cross the 35 degree Celsius mark, with the Hokkaido island likely to be spared from the sweltering heat. (API) See more news-related photo galleries and follow us on Yahoo News Photo Twitter and Tumblr.<doc-sep>The temperature rose to a record 41.1C in a city northwest of Tokyo on Monday, as a heat wave in Japan that has killed at least 23 people and sent thousands to hospital showed no sign of significant easing. The temperature was recorded in Kumagaya, in Saitama prefecture, topping the previous high of 41C in the western prefecture of Kochi in August 2013, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. Records go back to varying dates for different cities, with data for Kumagaya starting in 1896. Japan has been battered by intense heat for close to two weeks but the mercury soared on Monday, breaking above 40 in one part of the broader Tokyo metropolitan area, while the centre of the capital marked a high of 39 in the early afternoon. According to the Fire and Defence Management Agency, which issues weekly data, 12 people had died from the heat as of July 15, the latest available figures. Media reports say at least 11 more died this past Saturday alone, while thousands have been taken to hospital.<doc-sep>Steer like this to stay out of accidents in the snow TOPSHOT - A city worker drives through the flooded street during Hurricane Sally in downtown Pensacola, Florida on September 16, 2020. - Hurricane Sally barrelled into the US Gulf Coast early Wednesday, with forecasts of drenching rains that could provoke "historic" and potentially deadly flash floods.The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said the Category 2 storm hit Gulf Shores, Alabama at about 4:45 am (0945 GMT), bringing maximum sustained winds of about 105 miles (165 kilometers) per hour. "Historic life-threatening flooding likely along portions of the northern Gulf coast," the Miami-based center had warned late Tuesday, adding the hurricane could dump up to 20 inches (50 centimeters) of rain in some areas. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP) (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images) Why snow and blackouts in Texas are a preview for all of us Storm chasing photographers take photos underneath a rotating supercell storm system in Maxwell, Nebraska on September 3, 2016. Although multiple tornado warnings were issued throughout the area, no funnel cloud touched down. / AFP / Josh Edelson / XGTY RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE / MANDATORY CREDIT: "AFP PHOTO / Josh EDELSON" / NO MARKETING / NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS / DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS == (Photo credit should read JOSH EDELSON/AFP/Getty Images) IN SPACE - In this handout photo provided by NASA, Hurricane Patricia is seen from the International Space Station. The hurricane made landfall on the Pacfic coast of Mexico on October 23. (Photo by Scott Kelly/NASA via Getty Images) Larry Pierson, from the Isle of Palms, S.C., purchases bottled water from the Harris Teeter grocery store on the Isle of Palms in preparation for Hurricane Florence at the Isle of Palms S.C., Monday, Sept. 10, 2018. (AP Photo/Mic Smith) The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on NOAA-20 acquired this image of Hurricane Laura at 2:20 a.m. Central Daylight Time on August 26, 2020. Fire burns in Karbole, Sweden, on July 15, 2018. - Due to the dry weather, 80 wildfires burned in Sweden. (Photo by Mats ANDERSSON / TT News Agency / AFP) / Sweden OUT (Photo credit should read MATS ANDERSSON/AFP/Getty Images) (CNN) — Dozens of people have died across Japan as the country continues to swelter under scorching summer temperatures. At least 44 people have died since July 9, with 11 dying on Saturday alone according to Kyodo News. In Kumagaya, a city near Tokyo, the mercury rose to 41.1 degrees (105.98F), the highest ever on record in Japan, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency, almost 12 degrees hotter than average temperatures at this time of year. Temperatures had eased off slightly Tuesday, but were still forecast to rise to the high 30s in both Kumagaya and Tokyo. Schools across Japan – which are currently on summer break – have canceled sporting and outdoors events. The Hanagasa Junko parade, the second largest event of the Gion Matsuri festival, has also been canceled due to high temperatures. Around 300 children and elderly people were expected to parade in Kyoto on Tuesday, but organizers said the heat made it too risky. Oppressive heat leading to the cancellation of events will be particularly nerve wracking to the organizers of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which are due to start in two years this week. Preparations are already in place to deal with potential heat issues, NHK reported this week. “There is a chance that high temperatures will continue until the beginning of August,” chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters Monday. As of Tuesday, the authorities have continued to forecast extreme high temperatures – exceeding 35C (95F) – for most of Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu islands, with northerly Hokkaido the only one of the country’s four main islands to escape the scorching heat. “Potential for heat illness is higher than usual,” the agency said in a statement, adding that people should “take appropriate measures,” including drinking lots of water, staying away from direct sunlight and using air conditioners. Daiki Katagiri/AP An outdoor thermometer reads 41.0 degrees Celsius (105.8 degrees Fahrenheit) in Kumagaya city, north of Tokyo, Monday, July 23, 2018. According to AccuWeather analyst Joel N. Myers, the death toll is “likely already in the hundreds despite the official toll of somewhat more than two dozen,” and may rise beyond that. “The elderly and those with pre-existent conditions, such as asthma and heart failure, are likely to face declining health due to exacerbation of their conditions due to weather,” he said in a statement. “Heat exhaustion and stroke, dehydration, migraines, loss of sleep and mood alteration can all occur due to dangerous heat. Historical data shows that more people are likely to be involved in vehicle crashes due to heat-related impacts, such as decreased ability to concentrate, the poor quality of sleep they get and impaired mood, etc.” CNN Meteorologist Michael Guy said an upper high level pressure system was blocking other weather systems – such as a cold front – from coming through, “thus a dome of heat built over Japan and surrounding regions.” “Climatologically speaking, temperatures are ranging from 4°-7°C above normal for many cities, so factor that in with the humidity for many days on end and the heat stress on the body can lead to heat exhaustion or heat stroke,” he said. No relief According to Myers, in parts of Japan which do not often experience high temperatures, air conditioning is less prevalent, meaning people do not have cool locations to go for relief. A government survey published last year found only around 42% of public elementary and middle schools had air conditioning, and most apartment buildings do not have centralized climate control systems. Cultural sensitivity over wastefulness has harbored a general apathy towards air conditioning over the years, which has been further fueled by environmental concerns and a government led “Cool Biz” campaign which urged businesses to set thermostats at 28C (82.4F) to avoid wasting energy. Koji Sasahara/AP People cool down under the cooling mist spot in Tokyo, Monday, July 23, 2018. Electricity shortages triggered by the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster also led to calls to reduce or limit AC usage. “It used to be said that keeping air conditioning on throughout the night was not good for your health, but we keep it on all the time this year,” said Kenichiro Maeda, a manufacturing worker in Tokyo. Pointing to rising temperatures all over the world, he said that “we have to do something, but we feel helpless.” Hot summer Last month was the fifth hottest June on record, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. All 10 warmest Junes have occurred since 2005, with the hottest ever in 2016. Globally, the average land and ocean surface temperature for the first three months of the year was the sixth highest such period since global records began in 1880. Much of the northern hemisphere has been experiencing a scorching summer characterized by heatwaves and extreme weather. Asia has been particularly hard hit. At least 21 people died as a result of flash flooding this month, and more than 190,000 people were relocated in and around Shanghai, where Tropical Storm Ampil is striking the east coast of China. Hundreds of thousands have also been evacuated in the Philippines, with monsoon rains exacerbated by multiple storms, causing flooding and other dangers. Japan’s heatwave comes after the country experienced some of the worst flooding in recent years when a unique set of weather conditions led to a massive amount of rain pummeling an area not prepared for it. The Asahi Shimbun/The Asahi Shimbun/The Asahi Shimbun via Getty Images Rescue workers still dealing with the aftermath of deadly landslides and flooding are particularly at risk due to the scorching temperatures. Volunteers assisting in recovery efforts from the floods are increasingly experiencing difficulties and delays due to the extreme heat. “I’ve never experienced a summer this hot before,” said Tomoko Takemoto, a Tokyo office clerk. “It’s still July, I wonder what will happen in August.” She said she was concerned about her dog, saying it was impossible to walk her after 6 a.m. because it was too hot and left the animal exhausted.<doc-sep>
A deadly heat wave blistering across Japan has claimed more than 40 lives this month, with little relief in sight as record temperatures are expected to persist until later this week. The country logged its highest-ever temperature at 106 degrees Fahrenheit (41.1°C) in Kumagaya, near Tokyo on Monday afternoon, according to Japan’s Kyodo news agency. Eleven people, mostly senior citizens, died of suspected heatstroke on Saturday alone, the Japan Times reports. The searing heat has also seen a surge in distress calls, with an estimated 10,000 people hospitalized for heat-related conditions since the heat wave began on July 9. Temperatures reached 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40.7°C) in central Japan’s Tajimi city, Gifu Prefecture earlier this week, the highest in the country for five years. While in Kyoto, temperatures peaked at 103°F (39.8°C) after seven consecutive days of being above 100°F — a first since records began. The country’s meteorological agency on Sunday issued active heat warnings in 39 of Japan’s 47 prefectures, and has broadcast calls for residents in affected areas to drink water and use air conditioners, Japan’s Yomiuri Shobun reports. On Saturday, the Tokyo fire department dispatched more than 3,000 ambulances on Saturday, the most active day in the department’s history. The heat has also added complications to rescue and rehabilitation efforts in western Japan, which is still reeling from widespread flooding and landslides that claimed more than 200 lives this month. An estimated 4,500 people displaced from their homes are still living in emergency shelters, according to ABC. Write to Eli Meixler at eli.meixler@time.com.