DADU: Three persons were reported dead in different parts of Dadu district on Tuesday as the heatwave currently gripping the province took its toll and paralysed life in many towns and villages.

The Met office at Karachi recorded the temperature at 49oC Celsius in the district.

Two of the heatstroke victims were identified as 70-year-old Hussain Bukhsh and 75-year-old Sher Mohammed while the third victim, a beggar aged around 60 years, remained unidentified. They were found dead in the Phatak area of Dadu city, Mohammed Khan village of Dadu taluka and Dadu bus stand, respectively.

The markets, bazaars, commercial streets, business centres, offices and small outlets in Dadu city and other towns, including Johi, Mehar, Khairpur Nathan Shah, Radhan and Thari Mohabbat, stayed closed after mid-day till dusk and most areas wore a deserted look due to unbearable weather conditions.

Power outages of up to 12 hours in several spells added to the miseries of people.

Reports gathered from various health facilities suggested that more than 50 people brought in unconscious condition were treated and many of them were admitted for further treatment.

Our Staff Reporter at Karachi adds: The Met office said that weather across Sindh remained hot/very hot and dry as it remained in the grip of continental heatwave that pushed up the mercury on the scale. It said that the maximum temperature recorded at various places on Tuesday was as under: Dadu and Sukkur (49oC), Padidan and Larkana (48.5oC), Jacobabad (48oC), Moenjodaro (47.7oC), Nawabshah and Rohri (47.5oC), Sakrand (46.5oC), Chhor (45.8oC), Hyderabad (44oC), Mithi (43oC), Mirpurkhas (41.5oC) and Badin (41oC).

According to the Met office, the same weather is likely to persist in the province on Wednesday.

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2018