More people die as heat wave continues to scorch Japan

TOKYO - More people died of heat-related illnesses as a heat wave continued to scorch wide swathes of Japan on Tuesday.

According to public broadcaster NHK, at least eight people across Japan died of suspected heatstroke and 1,830 people were sent to hospitals as of 8:00 pm local time (1100 GMT) on Tuesday.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), 630 of its 927 observation points across Japan logged temperatures over 30 degrees Celsius, and 211 registered readings surpassing 35 degrees Celsius.

The agency warned of heat-related illnesses, such as heatstroke and dehydration and asked the public to take preventative measures.

A protracted heatwave over the past two weeks has caused dozens of deaths and tens of thousands hospitalized in Japan.

Japan logged its highest ever temperature on Monday, as the temperature in Kumagaya, a city in Saitama prefecture near Tokyo, hit a record high of 41.1 degrees Celsius.