Scorching weather is continuing across Japan on Monday, with temperatures topping 38 degrees Celsius in some regions.
By 2 p.m., temperatures reached 38.7 degrees in Daigo Town in Ibaraki Prefecture and 38.6 degrees in Date City in Fukushima Prefecture.
The town of Oe in Yamagata Prefecture saw the mercury rise to 37 degrees, a record high since it began keeping statistics in 1976.
A heatstroke warning has been issued to many prefectures from Hokkaido to Kagoshima.
People are advised to use air conditioners appropriately, consume adequate amounts of water and salt, as well as take breaks frequently during outdoor activities to prevent heatstroke.
Meanwhile, atmospheric conditions are extremely unstable mainly in inland areas in eastern Japan due to rising temperatures and a cold air mass.
Rain clouds developing over the southern Tohoku and Kanto-Koshin regions could bring torrential rain.
Weather officials are urging people in these regions to be on the alert for flooding in low-lying areas, mudslides and swollen rivers, as well as lightning strikes, tornadoes and hail.