Rising temperatures in southern Pakistan have led to an alarming increase in the number of deaths.
The Edhi ambulance service usually takes 30 to 40 bodies to the Karachi morgue daily, but in the last six days, they’ve collected 568 bodies, with 141 on Tuesday alone.
While the exact causes of death are unclear, the heatwave, with temperatures above 40°C (104°F) and feeling as hot as 49°C (120°F) due to high humidity, is a likely factor.
Many people, especially those working outside, are suffering from heatstroke, with hospitals like Civil Hospital Karachi admitting hundreds of patients and some dying from the heat.
Many affected were elderly or working outdoors, suffering from symptoms like vomiting and high fever.
“Most of the people who we saw coming into the hospital were in their 60s or 70s, although there were some around 45 and even a couple in their 20s,” Dr Imran Sarwar Sheikh, head of the emergency department said.
The city, plagued by frequent power cuts, struggled to provide relief amid what meteorologists described as a “partial heatwave”.
People are trying to cool off in various ways, like playing in fountains. The extreme heat is part of a larger trend of deadly temperatures in the region, attributed to climate change.
The heatwave is expected to last into next week, with slightly lower temperatures, and heavy monsoon rains are anticipated soon.
