Karachiites flustered as heatwave, power cuts continue

Health experts advise citizens to remain careful, cut down on outdoor movements

KARACHI: The temperature rose to 41.2° Celsius on Tuesday while the sea breeze remained suspended for over eight hours. Meanwhile, despite the continued hot weather, the K-Electric (K-E) has increased load-shedding in several parts of the metropolis.

The weather remained hot throughout the day as the city's atmosphere was engulfed in warm winds from Balochistan and Tharparkar. The temperature is likely to hit a new high today (Wednesday).

The third heatwave of the month of May began on Tuesday as winds turned warmer than the past few days.

However, the heat alert warning and the forecasts by the Met department were changed to some extent after its prediction for the hottest day of the month proved wrong.

The Met department had anticipated that Tuesday will be the hottest of all days in the ongoing three-day heat wave. As per the new forecast, the highest temperature for May will reach up to 44°C today (Wednesday).



In the next 48 hours, a low wind pressure that has developed in the upper plains of Sindh may significantly contribute to the ongoing heatwave.

The highest temperature for Tuesday was recorded at 41.2°C, while the lowest temperature was 28°C. Humidity was recorded at 82% in the early morning hours and between 40% to 50% percent in the day time, adding a perspiring feel to an already hot atmosphere.

The temperature went down in the afternoon when a suspended sea breeze returned and lowered the temperature.



District governments and Rangers have set up properly equipped camps in various parts of the city to prevent casualties from the heatwave. Health experts have advised citizens to remain careful and cut down on their outdoor movements. Commuters should be vigilant when going outdoors and cover themselves with a wet cloth and umbrellas.

The load-shedding menace 

Despite it being the month of Ramazan and the risk of suffering a heatstroke, the K-E has once again started load-shedding. In industrial areas and other localities which were exempt from load-shedding, the K-E has increased load-shedding by many times, while 12 hours of load shedding is being carried out in the city.

After the prediction of a heatwave by the Met department, instead of increasing its electricity supply, K-E has opted to increase the duration of load-shedding, making the lives of citizens miserable once again.



Instead of utilising its full generation capacity, the K-E has resorted to increasing the duration of load-shedding. The business and residential areas of the city which were exempt from load-shedding are now facing power outages of 2-3 hours daily. Other residential areas of the city are facing up to 12 hours of load-shedding.

The K-E spokesperson has once again claimed that K-E wants to make it certain that there is no load-shedding during iftar and sehri timings and that the impression of additional or unannounced load-shedding is wrong.

The areas that have been heavily affected by load-shedding include Akhtar Colony, Mehmoodabad, Lines Area, Patel Para, Jamshed Road, Korangi, Landhi, Quaidabad, Malir, Shah Faisal Colony, North Karachi, Abu Al Hassan Ispahani Road, Scheme 33, Liaquatabad, Orangi Town and other areas.