Sweltering heat continues across Japan on Monday with the mercury topping 37 degrees Celsius in some areas in the morning, the country's weather agency said.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said intense sunshine started driving up temperatures across the country from the morning, with heat stroke alerts having been issued for 39 out of 47 prefectures.
Pedestrians walk under a strong sunshine in Japan's Osaka Prefecture on July 21, 2024. /CFP
By 11:30 A.M. local time, the mercury had reached 37.5 degrees Celsius in Daigo Town, Ibaraki Prefecture, 37.4 in Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, and 36.1 in downtown Tokyo, weather agency data showed.
Daytime highs are expected to hit 39 degrees Celsius in Gifu City and Saitama Prefecture's Kumagaya City, and 38 in the cities of Saitama and Nagoya, the JMA added.
The Tokyo Fire Department reported that on Monday, 80 individuals were hospitalized for heat stroke within the department's jurisdiction, with two in serious condition. Earlier, as of 9 p.m. on July 20, 171 cases of heat stroke had been recorded in the area.
Weather officials urged people to take thorough protective measures, such as avoiding outings as much as possible and staying in a cool indoor space.
(With input from Xinhua)