Karachi to experience heatwave from today amid COVID-19 lockdown

KARACHI: The Pakistan Meteorological Department has forecast a heatwave in Sindh’s capital from today as the mercury is expected to rise up to 42 degrees Celsius.

According to the PMD, the heatwave will start from today and could continue till Friday. Dry winds from the south and south-west will push the mercury up turning the metropolis weather hot.

The Met Department has alerted all the health facilities in the city regarding the expected heatwave so that they may make the necessary arrangements. Moreover, the PMD stated that on Tuesday, the mercury can go up to 39 degrees Celsius in Karachi during the day with 69 percent humidity recorded in the air this afternoon.

According to the PMD, the temperature in Karachi is likely to be 42 to 43 degrees Celsius on Wednesday and Thursday. Hospitals in Sindh have been instructed to make necessary arrangements in view of a possible heatwave.

Last year, Karachi witnessed a series of heatwaves that saw residents avoiding venturing out during afternoon hours and remaining indoors. The city has been facing consecutive heatwaves for the past two years in particular.

In June 2015, about 1,200 people had died in southern Pakistan during a heatwave, with nearly two-thirds of the victims’ homeless people.