Japanese Cities Face 'Cruelly Hot Days' as Heatstroke Deaths Rise
En resumen
- Japanese cities are experiencing "cruelly hot days" with temperatures above 40°C, a new meteorological term.
- Heatstroke alerts are widespread, and at least 14 people have died in the past week, prompting emergency officials to describe the soaring temperatures as "a disaster".
Resumen generado por IA
Por qué importa
Japanese cities are experiencing "cruelly hot days," a new meteorological term for temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius, leading to heatstroke alerts across most of the country.
Japanese cities are experiencing “cruelly hot days”, a new meteorological term devised this year to warn people of intense heat above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit), with emergency officials describing the soaring temperatures on Wednesday as “a disaster”.
Heatstroke alerts were issued across almost the whole country and emergency officials said at least 14 people had died from heat-related causes in the past week.
Three central cities logged scorching temperatures on Tuesday above the new threshold, called kokushobi, which translates to “cruelly hot day”, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).
Large areas, including the central hub of Nagoya and communities near Tokyo in the east, were enduring temperatures approaching or above 40 degrees on Wednesday.
The new term was designed to draw greater public attention to heat-related warnings, although it does not trigger any official measures nationwide.
The JMA has issued heatstroke alerts in 41 out of Japan’s 47 prefectures, urging the public – especially the country’s many elderly – to take steps to stay cool.
Preguntas abiertas
- How long will the heatwave last?
- What specific measures are being taken for the elderly?
- Will the death toll continue to rise?
