A scorching heat wave in Pakistan’s Karachi city has likely boosted the country’s daily death tally to nearly 95 over the last six days from the usual 30-40 deaths.

Over the last six days, the city’s Edhi ambulance service collected some 568 bodies – 141 of them on Tuesday alone, reports BBC.

As Karachi temperatures soared above 40C (104F), with the high humidity making it feel as hot as 49C, on Tuesday contributed in large part, if not solely, to the surge in deaths.

Civil Hospital Karachi admitted 267 people with heatstroke between Sunday and Wednesday, said Dr Imran Sarwar Sheikh, head of the emergency department. Twelve of them died.

Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhoea and a high fever.

Experts agree these sorts of extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and intense as a result of climate change.

During a conversation with Reuters, a Karachi resident blamed climate change for the unusual rise in temperatures.

“This is happening all around the world. This is happening in Europe. They have faced intense heat but they have taken steps about it.

“But here, it is sad that government has not taken any effective measures,” the resident alleged.

The heatwave baking Karachi is expected to last into next week, but likely with slightly lower temperatures.

Weather experts are now turning their attention to the monsoon season, which is expected to arrive early and bring as much as 60% more rain, according to experts who spoke to Pakistani media outlet Dawn.

Source: BBC