Southern Pakistan, notably Karachi, has been experiencing a severe heatwave that has unfortunately cost many lives. The Edhi ambulance service reported an extraordinary rise in mortality, carrying 568 bodies to Karachi's morgue in only six days, including 141 deaths on Tuesday alone. Extreme temperatures, which exceeded 40°C (104°F) and felt as hot as 49°C due to heavy humidity, have overrun the city.
Civil Hospital Karachi has seen a surge in heatstroke cases, admitting 267 patients between Sunday and Wednesday, 12 of whom died. Dr. Imran Sarwar Sheikh said that the majority of patients were old, but younger persons were also afflicted, with symptoms including vomiting, diarrhea, and a high temperature. Efforts to reduce the heatwave included the establishment of heatwave centers and camps, while photographs showed youngsters seeking respite in fountains.
The warmth has worsened problems caused by frequent power outages, depriving households of crucial cooling from fans and air conditioning. This scenario has raised public health and safety concerns, as evidenced by the death of Wasim Ahmed, a security guard who died from heat exhaustion after working a night shift. Furthermore, Karachi's challenges reflect bigger climate-related concerns impacting other regions of Pakistan and neighboring nations such as India, where temperatures in Delhi have risen to record highs.
Both residents and academics connect these unusual weather patterns to climate change, emphasizing the critical need for effective adaptation and mitigation efforts. As Karachi braces for further hot temperatures in the coming days, emphasis has shifted to the oncoming monsoon season, which is predicted to provide relief but also poses concerns of its own due to heavy rains.
