DADU: Persisting heatwave affecting Sindh for more than a week claimed three lives on Friday in Dadu city, where the mercury did not come down from the previous day’s 51 degrees Celsius.

The maximum temperature at Nawabshah was recorded at 50.5 degrees Celsius and people of Moenjodaro, Jacobabad and Lar­kana cities also endured sizzling heat at 50 degrees Celsius on Friday.

There was no respite from extreme heat for people of many other cities and towns of Sindh as the maximum temperature remained above 40 degrees Celsius.

According to the Met office, the maximum temperature in Padidan was recorded at 49, Sukkur 48.5, Rohri and Sakrand 48, Mithi 43.5, Chhor 43.2, Hyderabad 43 and Badin 42 degrees Celsius.

Karachiites, however, heaved a sigh of relief as the maximum temperature in the metropolis was recorded at 36 degrees Celsius and minimum at 27 degrees Celsius with the level of humidity being 82 per cent in the morning and 62pc in the evening, a Met official said.

Most arterial roads, streets and lanes in Dadu, Larkana, Nawab­shah and Jacobabad districts wore a deserted look as people preferred to remain indoors.

The vehicular traffic remained thin from dawn to dusk.

Most offices, markets, shops, outlets and vending stalls were seen shut in the day.

Five large groups of people held separate demonstrations outside the Dadu Press Club on Friday in protest against unavailability of electricity in their respective areas amid the harsh weather conditions.

It was learnt that 40 pole-mounted transformers had burnt out over the past 48 hours and the Sukkur Electric Power Company (Sepco) could not replace them until Friday evening.

Different hospitals and healthcare facilities in Dadu district reported three deaths on account of heatstroke. They were among the more than 50 people who had fainted due to extreme heat and provided treatment at various health facilities.

One of the deceased persons was identified as Qayoom Khan, 60, a resident of Mohammad Khan Khushik village. The body of a 70-year-old man was found near the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar while a 35-year-old man was found dead near the Sim nullah of Sehwan.

Most of those who fainted during the day belonged to Dadu, Khudabad, Bhan Syedabad, Sehwan, Sann, Manjhand and several other towns.

Larkana district and its adjoining areas also remained in the grip of severe heatwave on Friday and the local Met office forecast that it would persist for few more days. Wind was blowing at 0.4 knots in southern direction while the humidity remained at 18pc.

Almost the same weather conditions prevailed in Qambar-Shahdadkot district.

Published in Dawn, June 2nd, 2018