ISLAMABAD: Families and relatives of at least 65 bodies taken to Edhi mortuaries in Karachi since Saturday – the day heat wave gripped the metropolis – have claimed that their loved ones died due to extreme weather.
The head of Edhi Foundation, Faisal Ehdhi has said that the number of dead bodies in their mortuaries in Korangi area has tripled while in Sohrab Goth, the flow has doubled in the last three days.
Edhi while talking to a private TV channel said that more than 160 dead bodies have been reported at both the mortuaries out of which the families and relatives of more than 65 claim the heat stroke as cause of death.
“The flow of dead bodies in normal days at Korangi mortuary is 6 to 7 whereas the dead bodies being received are 20 to 25 per day. The flow at Edhi’s Sohrab Goth facility has doubled from 20 dead bodies to 40 in a single day,” he added.
Agencies add: Meanwhile, the sweltering heat is taking its toll on the city’s residents who have been warned time and again from venturing out unnecessarily outside. However, Karachi has plenty of heat but no heat camps to beat it with.
The temperature in the city reached 43°C but there were no heat camps in the city which could serve as refuge for anyone suffering from a heat stroke.
“The city government should make sure that there are camps put up across Karachi to deal with the heat stroke,” says one resident. “Before any catastrophic incident takes place, the government should take the necessary measures.”
Heat wave alerts and warnings have been issued already by the department of health, chief minister, mayor and commissioner.
People are strictly advised to avoid fried food items during sahar and iftar.
On Monday, mainly hot and dry weather is expected in most parts of the country.
“Since there is minimum temperature difference, often below three degree celsius, during day and night hours, hence risk to get inflicted with heat wave has increased manifold,” said environmentalist Ali Hussain.
Searing summer heat continued to hit the port city hard for at least three to four days more, the Met Office said in a weather advisory on Monday.
According to an advisory of Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), hot to very hot weather is likely to prevail in Karachi during next three to four days and maximum temperature is expected to remain in the range of 42 to 44 degree Centigrade during the period.
The sea breeze is likely to remain cut-off and wind from the north-west is expected to prevail during this period of scorching weather.
The citizens have been advised to avoid unnecessary exposure to open places during the extremely hot weather.
Besides Nawabshah, Hyderabad, Jacobabad and other cities of the interior of Sindh, Lahore and several citizens of Punjab experiencing extremely hot weather.
Board of Intermediate Education Karachi has cancelled the intermediate examinations, scheduled on 21 to 23 May and will announce the new dates later, a statement said.
A spokesperson of the Climate Change Ministry said that the World Meteorological Department’s reports show that annual average temperature in Pakistan has jumped up by roughly 0.5°C, which has led to five-fold rise in heat wave days over last 30 years. Besides, the country’s annual temperature is well on path to rise by 3°C to 5°C due to a heat-trapping global carbon emissions.