Sweltering heatwave hits Japan as earthquake death toll creeps up
- A powerful 6.8-magnitude earthquake in Japan‘s Kumamoto Prefecture has resulted in 36 deaths and displaced over 9,000 people.
- The disaster caused extensive damage, with over 1,500 buildings affected and nearly 100 aftershocks, including an explosion at a shopping mall and a factory chimney collapse.
- Survivors are struggling with an intense heatwave, with temperatures reaching 36C and expected to hit 40C, raising concerns about heatstroke.
- Widespread water and fuel shortages are compounding the crisis, affecting 72,000 households and making it difficult for evacuees sleeping in cars to run air conditioning.
- Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has emphasized the urgent need to secure water supplies, while search and rescue efforts continue beyond the critical 72-hour window.
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