Japan records temperature records, East Asia

Tokyo marks exactly two years before the start of the Olympic and Paralympic Games today in the midst of a deadly heat wave raging throughout Japan.

Mercury climbed to 41.1 ° C in Kumagaya City, Saitama Prefecture, Greater Tokyo Region at 2:16 pm yesterday, setting a new record for the highest temperature recorded in all of Japan. This exceeded the previous record of 41 ° C in August 2013 in the prefecture of Kochi, in western Japan

Yesterday, in the Japanese capital, the temperature also crossed the 40 ° C mark, with a reading of 40.8 ° C. western district of Ome.

At least 77 people, mostly seniors, have died. Among the dead, a student fell unconscious after a school trip last week.

More than 30,000 people were hospitalized for heat stroke or heat stroke this month

. which was trampled two weeks ago by torrential rains that caused floods and landslides, killing at least 222 people and displacing thousands of people.

A report by the NHK public channel shows that 38 Tokyo residents could have died. heat wave this month, with 21 deaths recorded from last Friday to Sunday. The victims were between 40 and 90 years old.

At least nine people died yesterday, according to the Kyodo News Agency

In Miyazaki Prefecture, in the south-west, nine high school students who watched a baseball game were injured and hospitalized. in serious condition. At least two Singaporeans living and working in Tokyo have also experienced symptoms of heat exhaustion during the weekend.

Ms. Nur Rosmawati, 27, who works in the development of international affairs in an editorial company, told the Straits Times that she "seconds" during a five-minute walk between her home and a nearby convenience store on Saturday morning.

"She was not in the shelter, but I had my umbrella at the convenience store entrance. She said that she recovered after eating an energy bar and drank a moisturizing drink. "The humidity is now similar to that of Singapore, but the temperatures are much higher," she said. What aggravates the situation, is that the malls and offices of Tokyo tend not to refuse air conditioning as part of the energy saving measures.

Mrs. Layla Tan, 28 years old, International Trade Counselor based in Tokyo for three and a half years. a headache on Sunday. It got worse and she also had sore muscles and ached muscles. Later in the day, the Tokyo Fire Department dispatched 3,125 ambulances, the largest number in a single day since the beginning of emergency services in 1936, Kyodo said.

• 77

  Approximate number of persons

• 30k

  Number of people who were hospitalized for heat stroke or heat stroke this month.

Yuriko Koike, governor of Tokyo, said at a press conference that she was not taking any chances. with the Tokyo Olympics in two years. Describing recent experience as "living in a sauna every day", she promised to take adequate measures to protect athletes and spectators.

These facilities include mobile foggers and bitumen insulation technology. "We will continue our efforts to promote new technologies for all athletes, spectators and visitors, so that our cumulative efforts make it more comfortable for everyone," she said.