KARACHI: The ongoing heat wave in the city is expected to continue for the next three to four days, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) stated on Saturday.
The hot and dry weather is predicted to last for at least the next 24 hours, it added further. Temperatures are expected to peak 38 – 40° Celsius with minimum temperatures hovering around 26° Celsius.
The humidity level in the air was recorded at 69%, PMD mentioned.
It was reported earlier that sea breeze – that usually keeps Karachi’s weather in check – is expected to give way to hot winds coming in from the plains of interior Sindh. Consequently, temperatures in the country are expected to surpass 40° Celsius.
A shallow westerly wave has started impacting northern parts of Pakistan, likely to persist for the next 36 hours, the department stated.
For the next 24 hours, thunderstorms with rain, scattered dust, and gusty winds are expected in Malakand, Hazara, Mardan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir, and some places in Peshawar, Kohat, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Islamabad, and FATA.
More than a dozen hospitals, on Tuesday, set up heat stroke centres after PMD forecasted high temperatures in the city for the next three days. On Monday, the mercury surged to 40.5° Celsius in the metropolis with forecasts of a further rise in the temperature in the coming days.
Talking to local media sources, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre’s (JPMC) emergency services department head Dr Seemin Jamali informed that the emergency department including medical wards is fully equipped this time to deal with any emergency situations arising from the heat.
Heat exhaustion and lethargy are the primary symptoms of a heat stroke, highlighted Dr Jamali.
On the other hand, Sindh Health Department officials have issued advisory notices to all hospitals and medical facilities on how to be protected against the heat wave.
Precautionary measures, including providing logistics support to district administration, training for ambulance and boat drivers, and establishing relief centres, etc., were discussed by Syed Salman Shah, DG PDMA Sindh.