Worst heat wave in years poses massive health risk, leaving morgues overwhelmed: 'It feels like living in a furnace'

The Cool Down (TCD)
Jul 23, 2024

Worst heat wave in years poses massive health risk, leaving morgues overwhelmed: 'It feels like living in a furnace'


Doctors have treated hundreds of heatstroke victims in Pakistan's largest city as scorching temperatures reached record levels. A rescue agency recorded about 700 deaths at its morgues during an eight-day period in June in Karachi, according to New York Times reporting.

What's happening?

The Times reported that hospitals and morgues have been overwhelmed in Karachi. The port city sits on the Arabian Sea, where hot summers and monsoonal flooding are common. This summer, heat has been unprecedented at times. 

 

According to Pakistan Today, Karachi experienced its hottest night on record in July, when the minimum temperature on one night exceeded 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The city has had to endure several days with temperatures topping 100 degrees. Mohenjo Daro, a town in the southern province of Sindh, hit a high of 125.6 degrees in May, as reported by Reuters. 

Akbar Ali, a 52-year-old rickshaw driver, has seen firsthand the sweltering heat's impact. He has driven several people with heat-related health issues to the hospital in Karachi, according to Times reporting. 

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