Karachiites brave sweltering heat to celebrate Eid

Mercury touches 40 degrees with ‘real-feel’ of 43°C on second day of Islamic festival

Citizens of Karachi celebrated Eidul Fitr with traditional zeal and fervour despite sweltering heat on the first two days of the Islamic festival.

Eidul Fitr marks the culmination of the holy month of Ramazan, during which Muslims all over the world observe 29 to 30 days of fasting.

Lack of sea breeze, which often reduces the impact of extreme temperatures in the port city, and a very high percentage of humidity in the air led to 37 and 40 degrees centigrade with real-feel of 43°C both on Wednesday and Thursday respectively, Express News reported.

Residents of the Sindh capital restricted their outdoor activities, including picnics and visits to friends and relatives, to evenings and preferred staying at home, avoiding direct contact with sun during the day.

Karachi faces water crisis during Eid holidays

Earlier this week, Chief Meteorologist Abdul Rasheed had predicted that Karachiites would celebrate Eid in extremely hot weather but dispelled rumours that it would be the hottest Eid in 20 years.

Nevertheless, health experts have advised citizens against consuming high-cholesterol meals during the festival season owing to extreme weather conditions.

They also recommended covering head with wet-towel while stepping outside during the day and advised people to stay hydrated and wear lightweight clothes.

The Met Office has predicted the fresh spell of hot and dry weather to continue for at least two more days in the city.

Weather is not the only concern for the residents of Karachi this summer as they face yet another water crisis during the Eid holidays. Water supply in various areas of the city became severely affected and many people took to the streets to protest against it.