Japan has experienced its highest temperature since records began as a deadly heatwave continued to grip large parts of the country as well as neighbouring North and South Korea.
The mercury hit 41.1掳C in Kumagaya, a city in Saitama prefecture about 40 miles north-west of Tokyo, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
This broke the previous record of 41掳C in Ekawasaki on the island of Shikoku on August 12 2013.
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Two lingering high pressure systems have trapped warm and humid air above the region, bringing record high temperatures for nearly two weeks. More than 40 people have died in Japan and about 10 in South Korea.
The 10 who died in South Korea succumbed to heatstroke and other heat-related causes, seven of them last week, the Korea Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said.
About 1,040 people have fallen ill because of hot weather from May 20 to July 21, an increase of 61 per cent over the same period last year, it said.
South Korea鈥檚 highest-ever morning low was recorded in the city of Gangneung, where the temperature was 31掳C at 6.45am. The morning low in Seoul was 29.2掳C , a record for the country鈥檚 capital, according to South Korea鈥檚 weather agency.
The mercury hit 39.9掳C in the south-eastern town of Hayang, the highest temperature in the country so far this year.
In North Korea, residents fanned themselves on crowded trolleys or protected themselves from the sun with parasols as temperatures in Pyongyang, the capital, reached 34掳C . Weather reports said even higher temperatures were recorded on the country鈥檚 eastern coast.
Thousands of people in Japan have been rushed to hospitals with heatstroke symptoms during the heatwave. Kyodo News agency has tallied more than 40 deaths. Many of the victims have been elderly people who were not using air conditioning.
The temperature reached 39掳C on Monday in central Tokyo, the highest temperature this year. The worst of the heatwave is expected to be over this week.
Authorities have warned people to stay inside and use air conditioning.
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