Heat wave across Japan kills 11 more people

By Emre Aytekin

ANKARA (AA) - At least 11 more people died as a heat wave continued to grip Japan, local media reported on Sunday.

According to Kyodo News Agency, the victims -- almost all of them senior citizens -- lost their lives on Saturday due to suspected heatstroke as the temperature reached 40 degrees Celsius.

According to the Tokyo Fire Department 3,091 ambulances were dispatched in the capital Tokyo on Saturday -- the largest dispatch since the department started its emergency medical operations in 1936.

During the first two weeks of July, 30 people lost their lives from the heat wave while more than 12,000 were rushed to hospitals due to health problems emerging from high temperatures.

Meteorologists are expecting the hot weather wave to continue in the coming weeks.