Temperatures in Japan have reached 41.1C, a new record for the country, amid a deadly heatwave that has claimed dozens of lives. The temperature was recorded in the city of Kumagaya, a city northwest of Tokyo, beating a previous high of 41C in the western prefecture of Kochi in August 2013, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. Records go back to varying dates for different cities, with data for Kumagaya starting in 1896.
Authorities are warning people to stay indoors and use air conditioning where possible, with new deaths being reported almost every day for the last week. The heatwave has set in not just over wide swaths of Japan, but also in South Korea, where the country’s highest-ever morning low was recorded on Monday. The mercury sat at 31C at 6.45am in the city of Gangneung, according to the Yonhap news agency. READ MORE
