The Met Office issued multiple public warnings a full week in advance
KARACHI: When a severe heatwave was predicted to hit Karachi at the start of May, the authorities in the port city took several precautionary steps to protect the citizens. The Met Office issued multiple public warnings a full week in advance, regarding the dangers of the heatwave and advised the public to not step out unnecessarily. Hospitals prepared by setting aside extra beds for heat stroke victims, and water and power company officials were put on alert as the temperatures soared. Municipal bdies, the police and NGOs set up heat stroke camps at public places and provided fluids and shade to people. Residents also prepared by putting out water in their areas for people and animals. Fortunately, all these efforts have borne fruit, as the heatwave has passed without any reports of casualties caused by it. The warning issued by the Met department for Karachi may set the stage for life saving warnings for future summers, as climate change causes extreme temperature rise. Being unprepared for extreme heat can produce undesirable consequences, like it was in 2015. The weather office in Karachi has its own heatwave forecasting division with advanced computer systems connected to five heatwave monitoring stations that were recently installed around the city. According to the department, this really helped quickly arrange medical care facilities in hospitals for those suffering from heatwave-related illnesses.
Ali Raza Ansari
Published in The Express Tribune, May 6th, 2019.
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