Heat wave claims 10; '33 record topped

Japan sizzled through its hottest day on record Thursday, as a heat wave claimed at least 10 lives nationwide on the day alone and spurred fears of a power shortage.

Women walking near Tajimi Station in Tajimi, Gifu Prefecture, carry parasols to shield themselves from the sun's blistering rays. The mercury in Tajimi hit 40.9 Thursday afternoon, breaking a national record for the highest temperature. KYODO PHOTO

The mercury hit 40.9 Thursday afternoon in Tajimi, Gifu Prefecture, and in Kumagaya, Saitama Prefecture, breaking the previous national record of 40.8 set in Yamagata in 1933, according to the Meteorological Agency.

Temperatures also soared to new records in Tokyo and across the country, leading holidaymakers to stay indoors.

Of the 10 victims, four were in Saitama Prefecture, two each in Tokyo and Gunma, and one each in Akita and Kyoto. All apparently had died of heatstroke as of 8:30 p.m. Thursday, according to Kyodo News. The deaths, combined with three from Wednesday, bring the tally for heatstroke victims to 13 for the week.

One of the 10 was a 13-year-old boy from Machida in western Tokyo who collapsed earlier in the week after basketball practice.

Another was a bedridden 59-year-old man in Sayama, Saitama Prefecture, who died of suspected heatstroke early Thursday shortly after his wife found him unconscious. In Fukaya, also in the same prefecture, an 88-year-old man was found collapsed in his home and was later confirmed dead.

Tokyo Electrical Power Co. meanwhile warned of a power shortage as people turned up their air conditioners. The utility has been firing up old thermal power stations and buying electricity from rivals after a strong earthquake damaged its largest nuclear plant, reducing its output by more than 10 percent.

Elsewhere, train tracks suffered sun kinks, and firefighters struggled to deal with alarms set off erroneously by rising temperatures, according to news reports.