Heatwave
The present prediction revives the sad memories of the Karachi heatwave of 2015
While there is nothing surprising about the weather being hot in May and June, it is the phenomenon of global warming that sets alarm bells ringing when a heatwave is forecast. So far this year, Karachi has already witnessed one short spell of heatwave from May 5 to 9, and now the Met Office has forecast another spell between yesterday and May 22, with mercury shooting as high as 40 to 42 degrees Celsius. The weather will be hot and dry with hot winds blowing during the day, but sea breeze would resume in the evening making the weather pleasantly tolerable.
The Met Office has advised people to take precautions in order to protect from heatstroke: avoid coming out in the sun from 11pm to 4pm; wear lightweight and lightshade clothes; increase the intake of fluids and fruits; and above all drink plenty of water. Heavy and difficult-to-digest food should be avoided. Efforts should be made to prevent the stomach from getting uncomfortably overloaded. Some people tend to stuff their bellies with food uncomfortably full especially during the fasting month of Ramazan, in the hope of their will power aiding in digestion. Gluttony is a sin, a secret one though. Eating light and easily digestible food is also necessary because of the coronavirus pandemic. These are bad times for big eaters.
The present prediction revives the sad memories of the Karachi heatwave of 2015. In that year in June, a severe heatwave had struck Karachi and other places of Sindh. Temperature had soared to 49 degrees Celsius in Karachi and even higher. Then too it was Ramazan. More than 2,000 people had died from heatstroke and exhaustion, and most of the deaths had occurred in Karachi. The majority of the dead were construction workers and those who work in the sun under the open sky. Many workers died because water was not available at hand. This unpleasant experience should not be forgotten.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 17th, 2020.
The Met Office has advised people to take precautions in order to protect from heatstroke: avoid coming out in the sun from 11pm to 4pm; wear lightweight and lightshade clothes; increase the intake of fluids and fruits; and above all drink plenty of water. Heavy and difficult-to-digest food should be avoided. Efforts should be made to prevent the stomach from getting uncomfortably overloaded. Some people tend to stuff their bellies with food uncomfortably full especially during the fasting month of Ramazan, in the hope of their will power aiding in digestion. Gluttony is a sin, a secret one though. Eating light and easily digestible food is also necessary because of the coronavirus pandemic. These are bad times for big eaters.
The present prediction revives the sad memories of the Karachi heatwave of 2015. In that year in June, a severe heatwave had struck Karachi and other places of Sindh. Temperature had soared to 49 degrees Celsius in Karachi and even higher. Then too it was Ramazan. More than 2,000 people had died from heatstroke and exhaustion, and most of the deaths had occurred in Karachi. The majority of the dead were construction workers and those who work in the sun under the open sky. Many workers died because water was not available at hand. This unpleasant experience should not be forgotten.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 17th, 2020.