Pakistan swelters: Unprecedented 52°C in Sindh province
Pakistan is experiencing a wave of unbearable heat. In the Sindh province in south Pakistan, temperatures have reached 52°C, the highest temperature recorded there this year.
A record high temperature was recorded in the settlement of Mohenjo-Daro in Pakistan, where 4,500 years ago, the Indus Valley Civilization flourished.
"When you step outside, it's like opening an oven door to take out fries. Fortunately, we function here between air conditioning and more air conditioning." The temperature is regulated in every room. I somehow manage outside, but for example, my phone can't handle it. After a few minutes at this temperature, it's fully heated. Several times, I even got alerts and had to pour water on it, says WP's Gosia Girek.
Residents of Pakistan suffer from the heat
Due to the intense heat, hundreds of people suffering from heat stroke have been taken to hospitals in Pakistan. Many facilities have set up crisis response centers to accommodate more people needing help.
Furthermore, Pakistani authorities have urged citizens to stay indoors, hydrated, and avoid exhausting travel.
“People here are very aware of the prevailing conditions. They know it's not worth leaving air-conditioned buildings. Tourists have it worse, trying to sightsee in such temperatures. You have to keep drinking water and cooling down constantly. I don't know if I could last a few hours in these conditions. The worst part is that it's not any better in the evenings. It's hot. I'm constantly sweating, so I've even stopped wearing makeup,” says Gosia Girek, author of the blog Voyagerka.
The heatwave will move to southern Pakistan
“Pakistan is the fifth most vulnerable country to the effects of climate change,” said Rubina Khursheed Alam, the government's climate coordinator, last week. “We have experienced above-average rainfall and flooding,” she added.
In 2022, floods submerged one-third of the country, affecting, according to UN estimates, 33 million residents of Pakistan. Soon, the heatwave will weaken in Mohenjo-Daro and surrounding areas, but meteorologists estimate that the next wave will hit other areas of Sindh province, including Karachi, Pakistan's largest city.
According to scientists, the heatwave sweeping through South Asia results from human-caused climate change.
