Death toll expected to rise as heat wave hits Japan

FUJINOMIYA, Japan — The temperature in a Japanese city outside Tokyo hit a high of close to 106 degrees Monday, a record for Japan as the country suffered under a weekslong heat wave that also has afflicted the Korean Peninsula.

Already, 21 people have died from heatstroke in Japan, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency. Thousands more have been taken to hospitals for heat-related reasons, with no relief in sight for the rest of the week.

About half of those hospitalized are more than 65 years old. A 6-year-old boy was among the youngest to die, falling unconscious last week after an insect-hunting expedition at school.

The death toll is likely to rise significantly since the disaster management agency counts only deaths recorded by ambulances taking patients to a hospital. Many more people die at home or after a few days in the hospital, and a final fatality count will be based on medical death certificates.

In Japan, morning news shows regularly feature advice on how to stay cool and warning citizens to stay inside with air-conditioning.

The record temperature for Japan was set Monday in Pedestrians in Tokyo use parasols to try to stave off the heat.

Kumagaya, a suburban region outside Tokyo. The temperature was slightly higher than the previous record of 105 degrees, set in the city of Shimanto in Kochi Prefecture in 2013.

On social media, users posted comparisons with temperatures in global hot spots like Libya, Death Valley in California and Djibouti, all of which recorded lower temperatures than the record set in Kumagaya on Monday.

The heat has added to the suffering caused by deadly floods two weeks ago in southwestern Japan. The floods killed 225 people, and roughly 4,500 are still living in temporary shelters. The heat has made the task of clearing debris and shoveling mud from flood-stricken areas even more unpleasant and put people at risk of heatstroke.

Japan is not alone in the heat. Britain, for example, is in the throes of the longest heat wave since 1976. Average summer temperatures usually hover around 78 degrees. In London, it stays slightly cooler, hitting the low 70s during the day and dropping into the 50s at night. This year, it’s been nearly 10 degrees hotter, with spikes well into the 90s. It’s been unusually dry, too — just two inches of rain fell between June 1 and July 16, making it the driest summer on record.

Prime Minister Theresa May has urged people to stay out of the sun through Friday, when temperatures are expected to hit 93 degrees.