Death toll from Pakistan heatwave exceeds 700: Official
The death toll from a severe heatwave hitting Pakistan’s southern Sindh Province has risen to over 700, with medics struggling to treat patients as a state of emergency is in place in hospitals.
Local media outlets quoting Pakistani officials say the figure has climbed to over 740, adding that the number of fatalities may rise further.
Most of the deaths were reported in the port city of Karachi, the country's largest city and its commercial hub, where the temperature reached 45 degrees Celsius (111 Fahrenheit) on the weekend.
Over 3,000 patients have been treated in the Post-Graduate Medical College Hospital, Karachi's largest, doctor Semi Jamila told AFP.
Pakistan's largest charity, Edhi Welfare Organization, said their two morgues in the city had received more than 400 corpses in the last three days, with Edhi spokesman Anwar Kazmi adding, “The mortuaries have reached capacity.”
According to the state-run water utility, the power outages have crippled the water supply in Karachi, hampering the pumping of millions of gallons of water to consumers.
On Tuesday, temperatures remained at around 44.5 Celsius in the city, with Pakistan's Meteorological Office forecasting thunderstorms for the evening.
“Due to a low depression developing in the Arabian sea, thunderstorms will likely begin this evening and might continue for the next three days,” a Meteorological official said.
Pakistani officials also said seven people had died from the heat in the eastern province of Punjab over the past 24 hours.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has issued special instructions to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and other relevant organizations to provide urgent assistance to heatwave victims.
The deaths come a month after neighboring India suffered a similar heatwave, which claimed more than 2,000 lives.
YH/NN/GHN
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