Punjab heat wave intensifies, mercury to hit 45 degrees

The Provisional Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) issued on Sunday an alert warning citizens that the temperature is likely to touch 45 degree Celsius in May.

The Meteorological Department forecast that a severe heatwave could hit the major cities and plain areas of Punjab from May 21 to May 27. 

Yesterday, hot, humid, and partly cloudy weather kept most residents indoor, leaving city roads deserted during the afternoon hours.

Read Punjab shortens school hours as country braces for a scorcher

However, isolated areas in upper Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, upper and central Punjab, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Kashmir may experience partly cloudy weather with rain and thunderstorms. Rainfall was recorded in Mirkhani, Kalam, Bannu, Drosh, and Kalat. The highest temperature on Saturday was 49°C in Shaheed Benazirabad, while Lahore recorded a high of 43.6°C and a low of 29.6°C.

Under the directives of DG PDMA Irfan Ali Kathia, the burning of crop residues has been strictly prohibited. The administration has also been tasked with access to clean water in public spaces.

Kathia emphasized the need for hospitals and mobile health units to offer first aid for heat stroke. The citizens are urged to take precautionary measures, including wearing light-colored clothes, covering their heads, and avoiding non-essential travel.