NAWABSHAH, April 17 A number of people fainted and many heat stroke cases were reported in different parts of Shaheed Benazirabad district as mercury rose to 48 degree Celsius here on Saturday.

The scorching heat forced majority of people to remain indoors. Several cases of fainting and heatstroke were reported in different government and private hospitals.

Similarly, a number of gastroenteritis and diarrhoea cases, majority of them children, were also reported in the PMC and other hospitals.

Hesco continued unannounced load-shedding throughout the day as there was no power supply in the city from 630 am to 930 am, 1230 pm to 230 pm and 330 pm to 6 pm.

The failure of main supply also badly affected patients admitted in the PMC and other hospitals, as well as business activities.

The sale of ice and other soft drinks also increased due to intense heat whereas continuous load-shedding increased the sale of generators and converters.