Unseasonal June Heatwave Forces Outdoor Activity Ban at School

NAGOYA, Jun 17 (News On Japan) - The Tokai region experienced unusually dangerous heat for June on June 17th, with temperatures expected to exceed 35°C for the third consecutive day.

Warm, humid air flowing in from the south pushed up temperatures from early morning across the Tokai region, making it the hottest day of the year so far in many locations. By 3 p.m., temperatures had reached 35.4°C in Nagoya, 35.7°C in Toyota, 36.2°C in Mino, Gifu Prefecture, and 35.3°C in Kuwana, Mie Prefecture. All these areas recorded their first "extremely hot day" of the year, with temperatures surpassing 35°C.

"It's insane today, super hot. It's supposed to be rainy season, but it's scorching. It feels humid and stifling," said one person in their 20s. Another person in their 30s commented, "It's hot, I'm sweating a lot. I feel unwell and uncomfortable. The discomfort index is high. I brought a fan to help cope with the heat."

The Tokai region is expected to continue facing this unusually dangerous heat for June, with temperatures likely to stay above 35°C through June 19th.

Schools are also on high alert for heatstroke. At Shiratori Elementary School in Atsuta Ward, Nagoya, measures are being taken to ensure students' safety. "We monitor the heat index and encourage frequent hydration to prevent heatstroke," explained Tsubouchi, the lead teacher at Nagoya City Shiratori Elementary School.

Since mid-May, Shiratori Elementary has been checking the heat index before recess and before students go outdoors for classes. "When the heat index exceeds 31, we generally prohibit physical activities," said Tsubouchi.

The heat index is a measure that combines temperature, humidity, solar radiation, and heat from the ground to assess the risk of heatstroke. When the index exceeds 28, authorities issue a "strict caution" warning, and when it exceeds 31, it is classified as "dangerous," advising against outdoor activities.

At Shiratori Elementary, once the heat index surpasses 31, all outdoor activities, including not only physical education classes but also cleaning time, are entirely suspended. During a recess check on the morning of June 17th, a teacher found the heat index at 28.1. "It's humid today, so if it rises any further, we will consider suspending outdoor activities," said Tsubouchi.

Later that morning, around 11 a.m., the heat index exceeded 31, prompting the school to ban outdoor activities for the first time this year.

Precautions are also being taken during students' commutes to and from school. "It gets very hot during the commute as well, so we allow students to hydrate even while walking to school. We also permit the use of cooling devices such as portable fans as part of the heatstroke prevention measures," Tsubouchi added.

Source: Nagoya TV News

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