SUMMER has arrived in parts of the country with full force. The Met office has predicted that a heatwave is due to strike Karachi and some other areas of Sindh and also Balochistan after March 30. It has warned that the heatwave will hit Karachi particularly hard with temperatures expected to rise to 39°C during the day and humidity levels reaching 64pc. Though parts of Sindh and Balochistan, such as Jacobabad and Sibi, are known for their overwhelmingly hot and dry summers — the temperature often soars to as high as between 45°C and 50°C — heatwaves in Karachi have become a regular phenomenon only in recent years. Perhaps the first recorded heatwave of its kind struck the megapolis in June 2015. The people were caught completely unprepared. Over the course of a few deadly hot days, it was reported that over 2,000 people in the city perished, with the crisis being exacerbated as it was the month of fasting. Among the dead, a large number comprised the elderly, the homeless and those living in irregular housing settlements where houses are often small and poorly ventilated and where electricity supply is unreliable. In fact, Karachi also experienced an unusual heatwave at the tail end of the summer season in October last year. There is little doubt that the increasing intensity and frequency of heatwaves is a consequence of global warming.

Though higher temperatures of up to 55°C have also been recorded in Jacobabad and Sibi, a drastic increase in mercury levels turns Karachi into what experts call an ‘urban heat island’ with devastating consequences. Met officials have advised citizens to stay indoors and keep themselves hydrated, but this is not enough. The authorities should immediately take steps to set up temporary shelters where people can rest and hydrate themselves. Over the long term, the authorities should also work with urban planners and other professionals to create more green spaces in the city and improve the transport system to reduce carbon emissions.

Published in Dawn, March 30th, 2021