PDMA alerts departments in view of expected heatwave in Karachi

Alerting all the concerned departments in view of the heatwave expected in Karachi, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) on Saturday issued guidelines to them as to how they could protect people from the adverse effects of extreme temperatures, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.   

The guidelines were issued to different departments such as the KMC, traffic police, deputy commissioners, ambulance services, information department and the education department.  

In the guidelines, in which there was also a mention of the heatwave that claimed several lives in the port city in 2015, the PDMA urged the concerned department to ensure non-stop water to the city areas.  

Similarly, the Authority directed the owners of ice factories to manufacture ice round the clock so that labourers and others working in the sun could be protected from heat.

The Karachi-Electric (K-Electric) was also directed to ensure the supply of electricity to all city localities 24/7. “There should be no loadshedding in view of expected heatwave,” the PDMA said, adding, “Uninterrupted power supply to all hospitals must also be ensured.”

The Authority directed the K-Electric to make sure that there were no power outages at emergency centers.

On the other hand, it was hot in the Sindh capital in the morning.

The weather department said that although the minimum temperature was recorded at 31 degrees Celsius, it felt like 36 degrees Celsius, and was expected to reach 38 degrees Celsius later in the day.

The department said that light breeze was blowing from the south-westerly direction while the humidity level in the air was recorded at 66 per cent.    

However, the temperature would drop in the evening, it forecast.

The Met Office predicted hot and humid weather for Karachi throughout May.

Likewise, it was hot in Lahore in the morning as the temperature rose to 35 degrees Celsius and was expected to go up to 44 degrees Celsius later in the afternoon.

The humidity level in the air blowing at the speed of 11 kilometers per hour stood at 34 per cent.

The weather department said there were no chances of rain in the Punjab capital during the next 24 hours.

Doctors, on the other hand, advised people to take precautionary measures.

Met Office predicts rain for KP, Balochistan, upper Punjab

On the other hand, weathermen said different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), north Punjab and Balochistan would receive rain during the next 24 hours.

The weather will remain dry and hot elsewhere in the country, they said.

Reporters: Hammad Angarya, Fatima Khan