ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Meteorological Department said on Monday that the ongoing heatwave in various parts of the country is expected to continue this week, calling on citizens to take precautionary measures for safety. 

The Met Office warned last Wednesday of a heatwave in the country that it said will last from May 15 to 20. Its warning came amid increasingly erratic climate patterns across South Asia, with cities in Pakistan experiencing more frequent and intense heat waves in recent years, a trend climate experts link to global warming. 

The Met Office said in its latest advisory that high pressure is likely to persist in the upper atmosphere during the current week. 

“Heatwave is likely to continue during the current week,” it said. “Day temperatures are likely to remain 04 to 06°C above normal in the southern half (Sindh, southern Punjab and Balochistan) from 20th to 24th May.”

It said temperatures during the day are likely to remain 05 to 07°C above normal in the upper half of the country (central and upper Punjab, Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan) from 20th to 24th May.

“Dust storm/gusty winds are expected at isolated places over plain areas due to excessive heating during the forecast period,” it added. 

The Met Office advised women, the elderly and children to take precautionary measures during the heatwave period. It warned them to avoid exposure to direct sunlight during the day and remain hydrated at all times. 

The Met Office advised farmers to manage their crop activities, keeping in view the latest weather conditions and to also take care of their livestock. 

“Rising temperatures in northern areas may enhance snow melting rate during the forecast period,” it said. “Judicious use of water is requested in all fields of life.”

Pakistan ranks among the top ten countries most vulnerable to climate change and has grappled in recent years with increasingly frequent extreme weather events from deadly heat waves and floods.

In June 2024, almost 700 people died in a heat wave in less than a week, with most deaths recorded in the port city of Karachi and others in the southern province of Sindh, according to the Edhi Foundation charity.

A 2015 heatwave claimed over 2,000 lives in Karachi alone while floods in 2022 left more than 1,700 dead and over 33 million displaced nationwide.