Record heatwave scorches Pakistan as temperatures reach 126°F
11:29 AM EDT, May 28, 2024
Pakistan is currently facing a wave of unbearable heat. In the Sindh province in the south of Pakistan, temperatures have reached 126°F, the highest temperature recorded this year.
A record high temperature was recorded in the settlement of Mohenjo-Daro in Pakistan, where the Indus Valley Civilization flourished 4,500 years ago.
Residents of Pakistan suffer from the heat
Due to the intense heat, hundreds of people suffering from heat stroke have been taken to hospitals in Pakistan. Many facilities have set up crisis response centers to accommodate more people needing help.
Furthermore, Pakistani authorities have urged citizens to stay indoors, hydrated, and avoid exhausting travel.
People here are very aware of the prevailing conditions. They know it's not worth leaving air-conditioned buildings. Tourists have it worse, trying to sightsee in such temperatures. You have to keep drinking water and cooling down constantly. I don't know if I could last a few hours in these conditions. The worst part is that it's not any better in the evenings. It's terribly hot.
The heatwave will move to southern Pakistan
- Pakistan is the fifth most vulnerable country to the impact of climate change - said Rubina Khursheed Alam, the government's climate coordinator, last week. - We have witnessed above normal rains, floods - she added.
In 2022, floods submerged one-third of the country, affecting, according to UN estimates, 33 million residents of Pakistan. Soon, the heatwave will weaken in Mohenjo-Daro and surrounding areas, but meteorologists estimate that the next wave will hit other areas of Sindh province, including Karachi – Pakistan's largest city.
According to scientists, the heatwave sweeping through South Asia results from human-caused climate change.
