geophysics expert said June was normally a hot month in Karachi but the sea breeze, which blows in the south-westerly direction, cools down Karachi and the temperature remains at around 35 degrees Celsius.
“This time, the sea breeze stopped just as the holy month of Ramazan started and the temperature hit as high as 49 degrees Celsius. As many people were fasting, they suffered heatstroke and dehydration.”
Climate change
Responding to a query, Rasheed said climate change too was responsible for the unprecedented hot weather in Karachi. “Global carbon emissions are increasing the sea level and temperatures and that’s why the weather patterns are changing across the world including Pakistan.
“This monsoon season, we have forecast less than normal rains in Sindh and Balochistan but these spells will be severe, inundating roads and putting extraordinary burden on the infrastructure,” he warned.
Health experts say that people could have survived the hot weather spell in Karachi if the citizens would have been provided with uninterrupted power and water supplies.
“There was no electricity at homes and offices most of the times during this extremely hot spell and that also caused water and ice shortages in many areas of the city,” gastroenterologist Dr Shahid Ahmed told The News.
“People were fasting and the sudden loss of body fluids resulted in sudden deaths,” he added.
He said many people broke their fast when they felt that they were fainting because of thirst, heatstroke and dehydration and this saved their lives.
“Islam allows its followers to break their fast in life-threatening situations,” he added.
“But many were not fortunate enough and they fell unconscious because of heatstroke and dehydration and died either while they were being shifting to a hospital or at ill-equipped and poorly-managed health facilities.”
Dr Saif Ali Khan, who saved hundreds of lives during these excruciatingly hot days in Karachi at the Valika Hospital in SITE, said he along with the paramedical staff administered two IV lines to each of patient brought there and also used cold-sponging, improving their electrolyte imbalance and reducing their body temperature and saving their lives.
This two IV lines method worked. Not a single heatstroke or dehydration patient admitted to the Valika Hospital died.
Aga Khan University Hospital officials said an analysis of the 353 heatstroke patients admitted to their facility during the last five days – 31 of which died – indicated that most of them had low levels of sodium and potassium because of excessive sweating.
“Most affected individuals can replenish their salt and water with ORS or a sports drink. However, patients with an illness should always consult their physician first,” said Dr Munawar Khursheed, an emergency medicine consultant at the AKUH.
“Heatstroke can occur when your body temperature rises to 40 degree centigrade or higher. Avoid a heatstroke by following some very simple steps: wear loose clothing, avoid direct exposure to the sun and drink plenty of fluids. If you notice the symptoms of overheating, high body temperature, red or dry skin, a rapid pulse, a throbbing headache or dizziness, go to a hospital immediately,” he added.
Although the number of heatstroke patients arriving at the city hospitals has reduced, the AKUH still received 43 in the last 24 hours.