Pakistan | Heatwave leaves 1,000 dead in Karachi

A Pakistani woman sits beside the bodies of heatwave victims at a hospital in Karachi

The death toll from a heatwave in Pakistan’s commercial center of Karachi and parts of southern Sindh province has passed 1,000 over the past ten days, health officials said yesterday.
Nearly 900 died over the past week only in Karachi, a city of around 20 million people, with more than 100 in interior Sindh. The majority of those who died were over the age of 50. Dozens of low-income laborers working outside were also among the victims, according to officials at government-run hospitals. Mass funerals were being held for the unclaimed bodies.
The Sindh Health department said a total of 26 more people died on Sunday as there was no let up in deaths due to heatstroke. The metrological department continued to forecast highs of of 41 Celsius yesterday. The temperature reached 45 Celsius last week.
Hundreds are still being treated in at least four government-owned and several private hospitals.
Chief Minister of Sindh province, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, says the gov’t-run hospitals have so far provided medical facilities to nearly 40,000 people.
The federal and provincial governments are under fire for their inability to effectively deal with the crisis.
Power outages and water shortages in Karachi are being blamed for the high number of deaths, as people were unable to use air-conditioners or fans. Karachi has its own power supply system known as “K- Electric”, but it could not meet the fast growing demand for power in the summer heat. The federal government is now providing some electricity to Karachi from its system.
Officials say Pakistan currently faces a shortage of around 5,000 MW of power, with blackouts sparking violent protests in parts of the country.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is scheduled to visit the city to personally review the situation, the PM’s office said.
He was earlier planned to travel to Karachi yesterday; however, the visit has been delayed and state television reported he would visit Karachi today. Xinhua