DADU: Three people died and 24 fell unconscious because of extreme heat on Friday as the mercury rose to 47 degrees Celsius in Dadu and its surrounding areas.

A 60-year-old beggar and 75-year-old Azeeman Begum died in a village near here in Kachho mountainous region. Another elderly beggar fell unconscious near the shrine of Qalandar Lal Shahbaz and later died.

Ten people fainted in Dadu, six in Mehar, five in Khairpur Nathan Shah and one in Johi town because of heatstroke and were admitted to government and private hospitals for treatment.

All bazaars and business centres were shuttered after 1pm in Dadu town because of unbearable heat and people stayed indoors till the evening while youths thronged the Indus river at Dadu-Moro bridge and the Dadu canal to take a dip in its cool waters to beat the heat.

District Health Officer Dr Javid Ahmed Dawachh said that a large quantity of ORS and drips had been supplied to all emergency wards of the hospitals to keep them ready to face any situation.

Published in Dawn, May 24th, 2014