KARACHI:
With the blazing sun coming down hard on Karachi, the temperature continued to soar leading to more deaths mainly due to heatstroke as 475 people suffering from heat-related problems lost their lives at different hospital of the megacity.
At least 200 people affected by heat lost their lives in Jinnah Hospital; 74 in Abbasi Shaheed and Metropolitan hospitals; 35 in Civil hospital; 17 in Lyari General Hospital; eight in Sindh Government hospital New Karachi; and dozens others in Liaqat National hospital, Indus hospital and Zia Uddin Hospital.
According to JPMC Emergency Department Incharge Dr Seemin Jamali, at least 3,000 heatstroke patients have been treated thus far.
Sindh Health Minister Jam Mehtab Hussain Dahar, during his visit to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) on Monday evening, told journalists that at least 248 people had died due to the ongoing heat wave in the city. Some 171 died at JPMC, 62 at Civil Hospital Karachi and 15 Lyari General Hospital during three days, he added.
He said that 1600 patients had been treated for heat-related problems at the JPMC since the heatwave gripped the city on Saturday.
Dr Seemin Jamali told APP that the death toll of patients admitted to the hospital had risen to 200. More people suffering from heatstroke were brought to the health facility on Monday.
Meanwhile, an Edhi Mortuary volunteer told APP Monday night that they had no space to keep more bodies. Earlier in the day, in charge of the Mortuary in Sohrab Goth, Muhammad Bilal said that some 200 bodies were brought to the facility during the last 24 hours from various parts of the city.
The Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, in the meantime, has set up 10 “Heatstroke Relief Centres” in the city, where doctors and para-medical staff equipped with modern medical equipment are available to treat heatstroke patients.
According to Rangers officials, the centres were established at following points: Rangers Training Centre and College Toll Plaza (Ph no. 36871683), Sindh Rangers Hospital, Block A, North Nazimabad (Ph No 36670725), HQ 53 Wing, Baldia Town, (Ph no.32814044), HQ 93 Wing, People’s Football Stadium, Mauripur Road (Ph no.32032629), HQ 91 Wing, SITE Stadium (Ph no.32597050), HQ 72 Wing, Kala Pull (Ph no.99202545 & 99205489), HQ 83 Wing, Jamia Milia Malir (Ph no.34491746), HQ 82 Wing, Muzaffarabad Colony (Ph no.35080167), HQ 63 Wing, Karachi University (Ph no.99261056) and HQ 44 Wing, North Karachi (Ph no. 36493000).
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has convened a meeting of the K-Electric on Tuesday to review the power supply situation in the metropolis.
He has instructed that air conditioners at government offices should be used after 11 a.m., while the lights of signboards will also be switched off.
Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan on Monday held a meeting at the Governor House to review the situation emerging from the continuing scorching heatwave in Sindh, including Karachi.
According to the Met Office, maximum temperature in the city will range between 38 and 40 degrees centigrade during the next 24 hours, with chances of dust-thunderstorm/rain.
According to Pakistan Meteorological Department Director General Ghulam Rasool, weather in the city is likely to improve on Tuesday evening as pre-monsoon winds will enter Sindh and bring light rain in the province.
