Soaring temperatures claim first victim after Karachi heat-wave alert

KARACHI: Rescue workers said a man has died of heatstroke in Manghophir area, the first victim after authorities issued a heat-wave alert for Karachi on Friday.

According to a spokesman for the Edhi ambulance service, the deceased was identified as 45-year-old Sharafat Jokhio, who fell unconscious near Manghopir Mazaar and was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors pronounced him dead.

Doctors confirmed he died of heat stroke, said the Edhi spokesman.

Meanwhile, another person was shifted to the heat stroke response centre near NIPA.

The Meteorological Department has issued a heat-wave alert for Karachi for three days starting from today (Friday).

According to the Met office, day temperatures will gradually increase from 38 to 40 degrees Celsius from Friday and remain the same until Sunday.

In view of the forecast of the possible heat-wave, the Metropolitan Commissioner Samiuddin Siddiqui has declared a state of emergency in all KMC run hospitals and cancelled leaves of concerned staff.

The emergency was declared in a bid to avoid a repeat of last year's catastrophe which claimed over 1,500 lives during a heat-wave that persisted for at least a week.

He also appealed to the citizens to avoid going out during the heat wave and take all precautionary measures in this regard.