Doctors have treated hundreds of heatstroke victims in Pakistan's largest city as scorching temperatures reached record levels. A rescue agency recorded about 700 deaths at its morgues during an eight-day period in June in Karachi, according to New York Times reporting.
What's happening?
The Times reported that hospitals and morgues have been overwhelmed in Karachi. The port city sits on the Arabian Sea, where hot summers and monsoonal flooding are common. This summer, heat has been unprecedented at times.
According to Pakistan Today, Karachi experienced its hottest night on record in July, when the minimum temperature on one night exceeded 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The city has had to endure several days with temperatures topping 100 degrees. Mohenjo Daro, a town in the southern province of Sindh, hit a high of 125.6 degrees in May, as reported by Reuters.
Akbar Ali, a 52-year-old rickshaw driver, has seen firsthand the sweltering heat's impact. He has driven several people with heat-related health issues to the hospital in Karachi, according to Times reporting.
"It feels like living in a furnace," Ali told Times. "It's terrible seeing people collapse on the street."
According to the Global Climate Risk Index, Pakistan is fifth among the countries most vulnerable to changing global temperatures, as reported by the Pakistan government. Because of economic disparities, some of its poorest citizens suffer the most. Officials have urged people to stay indoors, but those who work outside can't afford to go without a paycheck.
Why is Pakistan's scorching heat important?
Pakistan is one of several countries enduring extreme heat and humidity this summer. Record-breaking heat waves have hit Mexico and many parts of the United States, including the West Coast, East Coast, and Gulf Coast regions.
Human activities — primarily the burning of dirty fuels — have led to an excess of heat-trapping gases in our atmosphere. June was Earth's 13 consecutive warmest month on record, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information.
The changes in our climate are making heat waves longer, more intense, and more frequent, and they have supercharged other extreme weather events like hurricanes.
What's being done about an increasing number of heat waves?
A shift to cleaner, renewable energy sources will help curtail the rise of gases trapping heat in our planet's atmosphere. Pakistan government officials say they intend to increase the country's share of renewable energy to at least 60% by 2030, according to the International Trade Administration. Technological advances in the renewable energy sector offer hope, too. For example, researchers recently unveiled innovative technology that uses the sun and "cold universe" energy to outperform conventional solar panels.
We can all do our part to limit pollution. Energy-efficient appliances, like heat pumps, induction stoves, and washers and dryers, are better for the planet and can reduce electric bills. Using LED light bulbs can even save you hundreds of dollars every year.
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