Japan's unprecedented heat wave kills 65 people in a week | News from the world

An "unprecedented" heat wave in Japan killed at least 65 people in a week, according to government officials, with the weather agency describing the record time of a natural disaster

. 22,697 people were hospitalized, according to the Japanese Fire and Disaster Management Agency.

These two figures have been the worst of all summer since the agency began registering heat stroke deaths in July 2008, a spokesman for the agency. The agency said Tuesday that 80 people had died of heat since the beginning of July and that more than 35,000 had been hospitalized.

A six-year-old boy who lost consciousness on his return "As a heat wave continues to hit the country, urgent measures are needed to protect the lives of schoolchildren," said Yoshihide Suga, chief

The Government said it would provide funding for all schools to be equipped with air conditioners by the summer of next year. Less than half of Japan's schools are equipped with air conditioning, and this figure is only slightly higher in nurseries.

Suga said that the government would consider extending the summer school holidays as the heatwave prevails

The city of Kumagaya set a national heat record on Monday, with temperatures reaching 41.1C (106F).

Temperatures above 40C were recorded for the first time in the Tokyo metropolitan area where the government promotes uchimizu "" We are seeing unprecedented heat levels in some areas, "said Motoaki Takekawa, a manager of the meteorological agency. The heat wave "is fatal, and we recognize it as a natural disaster," he added.

The Japanese summers are notoriously hot and humid, and hundreds of people die every year from heat stroke, particularly Seniors

followed record rainfall that caused floods and landslides in western and central Japan, killing more than 220 people.

Extreme weather has revived concerns over the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which will be held in July and August. [ad_2]
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