Dozens die of heatstroke at Sehwan urs

HYDERABAD: As many as 54 deaths were recorded in Sehwan during the three-day urs, with 10 being reported on Thursday. Except for a few who drowned while swimming in the water channels, almost all others died due to heatstroke, as temperatures peaked at 47 degrees.

Prolonged power outages caused suffocation in the shrine and a lack of clean drinking water and inter-town transport exacerbated matters. Sindh United Party's leader Roshan Buriro led a protest against the government for failing to provide better facilities. “The criminal negligence of the government is responsible for these deaths,” he said. “We are going to take the matter to court."

However, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, who spoke during the closing ceremony of the urs, maintained that the deaths were caused by the extreme heat and could not have been prevented. "I will take action against the district administration of Jamshoro if I receive any complaints," said Shah.

According to unofficial estimates, between 500,000 to 700,000 people attended the urs this year.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 20^th, 2014.