Doubts linger on true heatwave toll

Pakistan’s economic hub Karachi has been sweltering in near-record temperatures for nearly a month, with the ongoing heatwave showing no signs of letting up. The Sindh Health Department’s official toll for heat-related deaths is 60, but certain factors suggest the fatalities could be much higher, possibly in the hundreds as many deaths during the ongoing period of excessive heat have not been properly attributed to the cause.

In June, the health department confirmed a total of 49 deaths, while 3,338 patients were admitted to various public and private hospitals in the city suffering from various heat-related ailments. However, officials have struggled to collect accurate numbers for July.

The Edhi Foundation, one of the major charitable organizations in the country, reported that all four of its morgues in the provincial capital were frequently occupied in June. “In the last of June week, we had over 1,000 bodies,” an official from the foundation told The Express Tribune. However, he added, “I wouldn’t say they all died because of the weather.”

During the third week of July, Karachi experienced one of the hottest days of the year, with temperatures surpassing 42.6 degrees Celsius. “We received 229 bodies in the last three days [from July 15 to 17],” said an official from Edhi, elaborating that on July 17 alone, they received a total of 91 bodies, including 20 unidentified bodies which were found in various localities of the city.

Hospitals are overwhelmed with patients. A notice board at one of the city’s major private hospitals displayed a message earlier in July: “The emergency department is currently completely occupied and unable to accept additional patients.” Markets appear deserted, with citizens complaining about the heat and discussing the “feels like” temperature in the port city. Even the Karachi Bar Association has moved a request for exemption from wearing coats in the courtroom due to “excessive heat”.

Charitable organizations have silently pointed towards the increasing number of bodies, while caretakers at graveyards have observed a noticeable rise in funerals over the past two months. “I’ve seen more funerals in the last couple of weeks,” a caretaker at one of the city’s biggest graveyards, Muhammad Shah, said.

Despite being responsible for providing healthcare facilities and collecting data on heatstroke fatalities, the health department does not have an exact count of deaths. “We are currently trying to collect the data,” a senior official from the department told The Express Tribune.

“The government should not hide the data,” urged Pakistan Medical Association’s Secretary General, Dr. Abdul Ghafoor Shoro. “Accurate data allows for better future planning,” he explained, accusing the government of deliberately keeping the information out of sight. Medical experts claim that most families do not opt for autopsies. “It won’t be easy to determine the actual cause of death without medical examinations,” Dr. Shoro pointed out.

Nasir Hussain, who believes his father died from a heatstroke, said: “We did not go for a medical examination, but I believe my father died because of a heatstroke.” Despite his father’s age, he mentioned that his father bled from the nose and they were unable to keep his body at home for more than a couple of hours before the funeral due to the high temperature. “Immunocompromised individuals are at risk during this weather,” added Dr. Shoro.

Chief Meteorologist Sardar Sarfaraz explained that the humidity significantly increases the city’s temperature. “This usually happens due to low-pressure formations over the sea,” he said. Sarfaraz further mentioned that the “feels like” temperature, which has been widely discussed, remained at over 50 degrees Celsius under such conditions. “This isn’t a new phenomenon. We have experienced the same temperature range in the past,” he said.

Dr Ayaz Ali Shah, Chairperson of the Department of Energy and Environment Engineering at Dawood University of Engineering and Technology, emphasized that heatwaves are a global issue and are affecting the entire region, not just Pakistan. He suggested that despite its regional impact, the government in Sindh, especially in Karachi, could implement sustainable planning to save lives.

He also pointed out that deforestation due to the construction of residential colonies around Karachi has exacerbated the heat in the city. “Karachi is a concrete jungle, and we have been constructing residential buildings without future planning.” Citing a recent survey, he noted that temperatures vary across different areas, with the “feels like” temperature being higher in areas with more apartment buildings, such as Gulistan-e-Johar. He warned that Karachiites would face more climate-related issues if both the people and the government do not take timely measures.

Javed Hussain, an environmentalist, also agreed with Dr Shah, saying the lack of planning and development across major cities of Pakistan has caused the prevailing situation. “We cannot stop global warming but we can reduce its impact,” he urged. He further said that the government was not ensuring internal environmental safeguards. “We have to think about the impact of feel-like temperatures and its effect on human health.” He said that if appropriate measures were not taken, the mortality rate would increase in the coming years.

“There is no law to prevent tree cutting,” Hussain highlighted. “We [Pakistan] have very low vegetation cover and due to the construction of new residential colonies, we are cutting trees regularly.” Quoting an international study, he said that construction contributes 37% to carbon emissions globally. The environmentalist cautioned that children, the elderly population and pregnant women were at higher risk during heatwaves.