Soaring temperatures have hit the country since the beginning of the month. This week alone, 57people have fallen victim, nearly 10 thousand people hospitalized. Number of people who lost their lives from excessive heat far lower in previous years.

Tokyo (AsiaNews / Agencies) – Since early July Japan has been wrapped in a heat wave that has so far caused the hospitalization of nearly 15 thousand people and left 66 dead. This week alone  9,436 people have been admitted to hospital, 57 of whom have succumbed to heat stroke and died.

The data was released today by the Japanese Agency for the management of fires and disasters. The heat hit the Japanese archipelago at the end of the rainy season in early July, with temperatures above 35 degrees, recorded Sunday in most of the country, according to data released by the National Meteorological Service.

The number of deaths this year is very high, compared to 16 victims from heat recorded during July and August last year and 47 in the same period in 2008.

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