29/07/2014 11:42
Heat wave leaves 15 dead in Japan
At least 15 people have died in Japan as a result of a heat wave that swept through the country over the past week.
According to official reports released on Tuesday, at least 6 people died only on Saturday when Japan’s Meteorological Agency warned that temperatures had exceeded 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit).
The Fire and Disaster Management Agency also announced that about 8,600 people were hospitalized in the week through Sunday, more than double the previous week. About half of those taken to hospital were aged 65 or older.
The highest temperature was over 38.8 degrees Celsius in Otsuki city, 75 kilometers west of Tokyo.
The state weather agency also has warned that the temperature is expected to top 35 degrees Celsius again on Tuesday.
Japan has experienced very hot summers in recent years, with a 41 degrees Celsius (105.8 Fahrenheit) record last summer.