UPDATED: Karachi heatwave death toll rises to an astonishing 640
By
Raza Haidery June 23, 2015 17:20
KARACHI: The death toll during the ongoing heatwave in Karachi has soared to 640 as unprecedented intense summer continued to torment the metropolis and other cities of Sindh, ARY News reported Tuesday.
An elderly Karachi resident suffering from a heatstroke is tended to by a relative on a public street. (AFP)
Majority of the heatstroke patients were pronounced dead at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC).
Jinnah Hospital, Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and Civil Hospital have refused to admit patients due to lack of beds and facilities. The morgues in the city have also run out of space.
Relatives of a woman suffering from a heatstroke bring her to a government hospital in Karachi for treatment
According to hospital sources, more than 100 patients of heatstroke pronounced dead in Jinnah Hospital alone. More than 100 heat patients were still admitted at the hospital, sources said.
The doctors said that the people who had suffered heatstroke were either brought dead or died at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), Abbassi Shaheed Hospital, Lyari General Hospital and Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK).
Hospital sources said that most of the patients were brought to hospitals unconscious, suffering from high grade fever with pulse hardly visible and blood pressure barely noticeable.
The head of the JPMC’s Emergency Ward, Dr Seemin Jamali
Many patients told their doctors that they had collapsed suddenly under the scorching sun and suffered extreme breathing problem.
Torture for citizens:
Residents of Karachi have complained that even taking a shower or bath is torture now given that even water from cold side is scorching hot
Sindh Rangers have also set up 10 heatstroke prevention centres across Karachi to treat people suffering with heatstroke. Doctors, para-medical staff and medicines are kept at the centres for treating people with heatstroke.
Plans for artificial rains:
Authorities on Monday hinted at using artificial rain in Karachi to scale down the effects of the fatal heatwave, however the process may take up to a month.
Read: Five ways to stop dehydration this Ramazan
Both the federal government and K-Electric had promised there would be no outages during the time when families gathered to break their fast at sunset.
Read:
Heatwave Deaths: Opposition holds government responsible
Scorching temperatures:
Temperature soared to 44 degrees Celsius (111 Fahrenheit) on Saturday and hovered at 43 degrees Celsius (109 Fahrenheit) on Sunday, coinciding with a surge of demand for power as families observed Ramadan, when people fast during daylight hours.
Sunday was the longest day of the year. It is known as summer solstice in technical parlance — falls on June 21 every year. The day began at 5.42am (sunrise) and end at 7.25pm (sunset).
The temperature was recorded at 43 degree centigrade on Monday in Karachi.
Yesterday was the hottest day of 2015 with temperatures in some parts of Sindh nearing 50 degrees Celsius.
The Met office has predicted rain on Tuesday and Wednesday in Karachi.
UPDATED: Karachi heatwave death toll rises to an astonishing 640 | ARY NEWS
