Province turns into melting pot

Mercury soars in most parts; Jacobabad hits 49 degrees Celsius

KARACHI:

For another summer, the province is in the midst of a heatwave with the mercury touching 49 degrees Celsius in Jacobabad and over 45 in most other parts. The Pakistan Meteorological Department has already issued a heatwave warning and advised the government, as well as the general public, to take precautionary measures during peak afternoon hours till May 2. “It is like hell in Larkana,” said Junaid Dahar, a resident of the city.

“I have not felt such heat in April [before],” he added. Dahar said that locals have rely on solar panels, generators and other alternatives for electricity. “This is Eid season and people visit markets for shopping. I do not see any reasonable arrangements for them,” he observed. Similarly, Naseer Ahmed, from Jacobabad, said that upper parts of Sindh remain prepared for such hot weather.

Regardless, he mentioned that the weather at the tail-end of April was unacceptable for all of the province’s inhabitants. He said that majority of people used traditional methods of carrying wet towels on their heads while leaving their homes. “I see the same hot weather during nights for last couple of days,” he said. Ahmed also said that there was load shedding for eight hours in his city.

“We will have power outages for about 15 hours after Eid,” he added. As the heatwave started, medical practitioners complained of patients with different seasonal diseases like cholera, fever and dioarrhea. Speaking to The Express Tribune, Pakistan Medical Association Karachi’s General Secretary Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro said that the heat has made the life difficult for all and sundry. He advised people to use boiled water and avoid consuming rotten fruit and oily or spicy food.

“It is advisable not to go outside home in the mid of the day,” Dr Shoro urged. He added that the climate change will affect lifestyles. “We have to consider what is necessary for us during this weather,” he concluded. On Friday, the met office has forecast rain with heavy gusts, accompanied by thunder. Dust storms are also expected in various parts of the province during Eidul Fitr.

Also, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon in has advised citizens to adopt precautionary measures. In a statement on Saturday, he said citizens should avoid leaving their homes unnecessarily. He added that special care should be taken of senior citizens and children. The minister said that the Sindh government has already directed all the district administrations to make arrangements and allocate special wards in hospitals and health centers for those affected by the heatwave.

Sharjeel urged the school administrations to take necessary steps to protect young children from heatstroke. He said that citizens should consume water to keep their bodies hydrated to avoid heatstroke and cover their heads with a wet cloth while going out. Sharjeel Memon has appealed to the media to broadcast special messages for public awareness about heat wave and heatstroke.

In 2015, the death toll from the worst heat wave to hit Karachi for 35 years surpassed 1,000, as experts, at the time, warned of another similar heatwaves in future. The heatwave coincided with severe electricity cuts, leaving many without fans, water or light, and the beginning of the holy month of Ramazan, when many Muslims do not eat or drink during daylight hours.