Heatwave kills nearly 180 people in Karachi: Edhi Foundation

Nearly 180 people have died in Pakistan's southern city of Karachi over the past four days due to the harsh weather conditions, a leading welfare organisation said today.

However, the Sindh Government has dismissed the claims.

Faisal Edhi of the Edhi Foundation told the media that in the last four days nearly 180 bodies have been brought to their mortuaries in Karachi. Most of them were victims of heatwave.

The Foundation operates morgues and an ambulance service in Pakistan's biggest city Karachi.

Fazlullah Peechio, the Secretary for Health, Sindh, dismissed Edhi's claims.

"The figures being quoted by Faisal Edhi are not correct. All our government hospitals have not encountered deaths due to heat stroke. We have made adequate arrangements for the weather conditions and have not only set up camps but are also regularly issuing advisories for the people," he said.

He said, however, an inquiry has been launched into Edhi's claims.

Karachites have braved temperatures ranging from 40 to 44 degrees Celsius in the last four days with the harsh weather coinciding with the month of Ramzan.