Over the past two days, more than 30 bodies have been discovered in various parts of Karachi as the temperature soared past 40.5 degrees Celsius with extreme humidity, pushing the “feels-like temperature” beyond 50 degrees Celsius.
Charity organizations and health experts fear that the majority of these deaths are due to the severe heat. However, the health department appears less alarmed, reporting only two heatstroke deaths on Wednesday and none on Thursday. Despite this, they confirmed that 118 people were treated for heatstroke across different hospitals and later discharged.
The Edhi Foundation and Chhipa Welfare Association revealed that they found 32 bodies over the last two days, attributing these deaths to the relentless heat. Most of the deceased were believed to be drug addicts, found on streets, footpaths, playgrounds, and garbage dumps.
An Edhi Foundation spokesperson reported receiving four bodies on Wednesday and six on Thursday. Similarly, Chhipa’s Shahid Husain noted their ambulances collected 13 bodies on Wednesday and nine on Thursday, all appearing to be drug addicts with unclear causes of death.
Medical experts, including Dr. Qaiser Sajjad, former secretary general of the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), criticized the government’s lack of a system to accurately determine causes of death. He pointed out that without precise data, it’s challenging to make informed policy decisions to prevent such tragedies.
Dr. Sajjad highlighted the vulnerability of homeless individuals to heatstroke and dehydration in such extreme conditions, stressing the importance of data in formulating effective healthcare responses.
During the Ashura procession on M. A. Jinnah Road on Wednesday, many participants suffered from heatstroke and dehydration. Majlis Wahdat e Muslimeen (MWM) reported that their medical teams and volunteers managed to provide timely care, preventing a more serious crisis.
The heatwave has tested the resilience of Karachi’s residents. Despite overcast skies, the combination of high temperatures and humidity made conditions unbearable. According to Dr. Sardar Sarfaraz, Chief Meteorologist of the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), the “feels-like temperature” reached up to 54 degrees Celsius on Wednesday. Although temperatures dropped slightly on Thursday, humidity remained high, keeping the feels-like temperature around 50 degrees Celsius.
Relief began to arrive late Thursday with the resumption of sea breezes. The Met office anticipates gradual improvement in weather conditions, with potential rain after July 22 providing further respite.
