Heatwave kills 51 in Pakistan
A scorching heatwave in central Pakistan has killed at least 51 people in the past week, with temperatures rising as high as 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit), officials said yesterday.
At least 19 people have died since Thursday in the central province of Punjab, where authorities reported 31 deaths earlier this week, health officials said.
Another person died in the largely desert, southwestern province of Baluchistan on Wednesday.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Hundreds of people have also been admitted to hospitals after fainting due to heatstroke and gastroenteritis, officials said.
Top meteorological department official Qamaruz Zaman said hot and dry weather was likely to continue in most parts of the country until May 18.
He said the mercury hit 50C in Jacobabad in southern Sindh province and Sibbi in Baluchistan this week. In Punjab, temperatures reached 46C in Multan and 43C in Lahore on Thursday, while in Islamabad it was 41C.
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