JUNE 25 (Reuters) — The ongoing heat wave in southern Pakistan had claimed more than 800 lives as of Wednesday, with majority of the deaths reported in slum areas due to poor living conditions and frequent power outages.
The slums in Karachi have been hit hard by the heat wave with temperatures of up to 45 degrees Celsius.
In Korangi, a slum in the city of Karachi, residents share crowded houses. Livestock range freely and garbage is dumped in the streets, making life even more unpleasant for residents during the heat wave.
Frequent power outages are also affecting slum residents.
“Power outages are very frequent here. We don’t know when they will come and no one repairs the wires. No matter how often we complain, no one comes to help,” said Qadir Khan, a Korangi resident.
Many residents are suffering from sunstroke due to severe water shortages in the slum.
“Water shortages are also very severe here. We don’t have water pipes in houses, so we have to buy water. The water vehicle charges 600 to 700 rupees every hour and that’s too expensive, we can’t afford it,” said Khan.