Karachi to Face Rising Temperature Trend Caused by Warming Climate: Met Office

Summer is here. It is now the beginning of April 2023 that the Meteorological Department has predicted an increase in the temperature of Karachi and said that the increase will be 1 to 2 degrees Celsius in the initial days, but it will increase to 3 to 4 degrees by the third week of April. will Thus, the temperature of the city can go up to 39 degrees Celsius in April. It cannot be called a heat wave, but due to the heat of the sun and the humidity in the air during the day, it can definitely be considered a hot day. This forecast is not so sudden because earlier in early March, the Meteorological Department had warned of higher than normal temperatures and the possibility of heat waves during April and May.

A look at the data shows that Karachi may have a very hot summer this year as the temperature in the month of February was above normal. But have our institutions and people prepared themselves for the coming summer? Because now is the time for authorities, government agencies, disaster response organizations and citizens alike to be vigilant and take necessary steps to protect themselves from the expected extreme temperatures.

If we compare the city of Karachi today with the city of 20 years ago, the rapidly warming climate in the city reflects that there is a clear rising trend in the temperature here. According to research by the Karachi Urban Lab, since 1960, nighttime temperatures in Karachi have increased by about 2.4 degrees Celsius, while daytime temperatures have increased by 1.6 degrees Celsius. According to a 2021 research paper by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the average increase in global temperature since 1900 has been 1.1 degrees Celsius, and the rate of temperature increase in Karachi is particularly high. Longer and more intense summers are common due to abnormally high temperatures.

As global temperatures continue to rise, the deadly effects of extreme heat are becoming increasingly apparent. Since 2015 till now there have been more or less 5 heatwaves in the city of Karachi, the details of which are as follows:

It is worth noting that these are only a few of the most extreme heat waves that have affected Karachi. In the heat wave of 2015, from hospitals to cemeteries in the city were flooded. There was no room in the hospitals for the sick, nor in the mortuary for the dead. The city’s cemeteries were in disarray and understaffed, with bodies waiting to be buried. According to unofficial figures, the death toll was over 6,000. There was no ice for cold water, nor for keeping the dead dead. The price of a piece of ice had gone up to 500 rupees.

These are the figures that have been reported by the organizations dealing with disasters, while there are many effects of heat which neither the institutions nor the people give importance to. As rising temperatures increase the severity of infectious diseases and other diseases and the deaths caused by these diseases are not counted among the effects of the heat wave. However, it is often difficult to accurately estimate the number of deaths caused by heat waves because many deaths go unreported or are attributed to other causes.

Above all, there is no mechanism in place to determine the exact cause of death in extreme heat and related diseases from our hospitals to graveyards. We don’t even have the data on how many people fall sick due to extreme heat in this city of 3 crore people. Then there is the chronic heat which complicates various diseases and often shortens the life span of the patients, but the institutions and the public seem unable to understand these effects of heat.

Then there are many densely populated areas in the city where the resources related to health services and facilities are negligible or those for whom the travel time to the major government hospitals of the city covers hours. If they get victimized, they don’t even get time to go to the hospital. Thus, the risk related to heat increases further.

Experiences and events ranging from rising temperatures to extreme heat waves must be seen as slow-onset catastrophes, especially as they have chronic effects on daily life, productivity, health and well-being of workers and workers. Makes an impact. The relative humidity in Karachi’s air complicates the matter as the perceived temperature is much higher than the actual temperature in the air. It is therefore important to consider the additional heat stress that generally occurs as a result of local environmental conditions or high levels of physical exertion or exertion.

A careful analysis of chronic heat exposure and heat stress is essential if we are to develop and implement successful heat stress and heat management plans. Because the adverse effects of chronic heat exposure on the population (especially the vulnerable such as the elderly, children, and those with pre-existing conditions) need to be addressed. These impacts include increased risk of heat-related illness, worsening respiratory and cardiovascular conditions, reduced productivity, economic impacts and reduced quality of life. However, the authorities, institutions and people in Pakistan do not consider these chronic effects of heat due to lack of awareness, short-term focus, resource constraints and lack of political will.

The same bodies advise people to take necessary precautions to avoid heat-related illnesses while the city’s workers and workers are directly affected by the scorching heat of the heat wave. During this period, no facility was available and no legislation was thought of in this regard. On the other hand, it is also advised to drink water continuously during the hot season when people have to wait in line for hours for a gallon of water in the same intense heat and sun.

Government agencies should take this matter seriously to ensure uninterrupted supply of electricity and water at least during the expected extreme heat waves. As well as the availability of ice in low-income areas, providing water and electricity to ice factories, umbrellas for shade in crowded public places, special working hours for the working class, from hospitals. Making arrangements in even small dispensaries to care for and treat patients suffering from the effects of extreme heat.

Along with this, it is also important to promote afforestation as much as possible through environmental protection campaigns to reduce the effects of heat waves on the population. A multi-pronged approach is needed to deal with the devastating effects of heat, including education and awareness, access to water, electricity and health facilities, infrastructure improvements and political will.