A Karachi heat wave has killed hundreds of people over the last three days, with temperatures in Pakistan's largest city reaching a scorching 112.64 degrees Fahrenheit on Saturday.
The death toll continued to rise even as the temperature dropped slightly to
108.5 degrees Fahrenheit on Sunday, according to CNN. An estimated 630 people have lost their lives
from the heat, according to The Times of India. Three of hospitals confirmed a total of 341 deaths on Monday as a result of heat-related exhaustion, low blood pressure, and heat stroke.
"We had until [Monday] evening nearly 200 deaths from this heat wave," Seemi Jamali, medical superintendent at Jinnah Hospital, told The Times. "These 200 include dead bodies we have got from the scorching heat wave and those who passed away in the hospital while under treatment for heatstroke and dehydration."
The hospital has treated approximately 3,000 people since the onset of the heat wave about four days ago.
Karachi’s electricity grids are experiencing frequent outages and cannot meet the demands of the city’s 20 million citizens, further exacerbating the situation, CNN noted.
The extreme weather comes at a particularly difficult time, as many in the predominantly Muslim country are fasting, depriving themselves of necessary nutrients and water, from sunrise to sunset for the month of Ramadan.
The Sindh government has declared a state of emergency at hospitals and has also closed all schools and government buildings. The army is helping to assist with the situation by establishing centers for civilians with heat stroke and by supplying medicines to hospitals.
“We are closing offices, schools and colleges not just in Karachi but throughout Sindh," Qaim Ali Shah, Sindh chief minister, announced, according to The Times of India.
Still, citizens do not feel the Karachi government is doing enough. Pakistanis have launched an online campaign with the hashtag #KarachiWeepsGovtSleeps, which people have tweeted nearly
3,000 times an hour on Monday, according to Vocativ. The people of Karachi are using the tag to share their complaints and advice.
Others have taken a more light-hearted social media approach to the extreme weather.
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