17 hours ago
Sweltering heat continues across wide regions of Japan
Japanese authorities are urging extra precautions against heatstroke as daytime highs may hit nearly 40 degrees Celsius on Monday in some inland areas of the Kanto and Tokai regions.
The Meteorological Agency says a high-pressure system covering wide regions of the country is driving up temperatures.
By 11:30 a.m., the mercury had risen to 37.3 degrees in Ome City in Tokyo, 36.9 degrees in Ebina City in Kanagawa Prefecture, 36.4 degrees in Hamamatsu City in Shizuoka Prefecture, 36.1 degrees in central Tokyo and 35.1 degrees in Nagoya.
Daytime highs of 39 degrees are forecast for Maebashi City in Gunma Prefecture and Kumagaya City in Saitama Prefecture, Nagoya, and Gifu, and 38 degrees for Kofu City in Yamanashi Prefecture.
Heatstroke alerts have been issued for 23 of the country's 47 prefectures, from the Kanto-Koshin region, including Tokyo, to the Kyushu region.
Officials are advising people to keep cool by using air conditioners, consuming adequate fluids and salt.
Atmospheric conditions are likely to become extremely unstable in Kanto-Koshin, and in western Japan and elsewhere due partly to rising temperatures and damp air.
Localized downpours with thunder are possible. Caution is advised for flooding in low-lying areas, landslides and swollen rivers. People are asked to be on the alert for lightning strikes, gusty winds, including tornadoes, and hail.
In the southwestern prefecture of Okinawa, a tropical depression south-southeast of Miyakojima Island is expected to develop into a tropical storm by Monday night.
The storm may approach the Sakishima Islands and Okinawa's main island through Tuesday, bringing heavy rain and strong winds. People are asked to keep updated with the latest weather information.
