Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) Director General Mahr Sahibzad Khan on Tuesday attributed the reason for ongoing extreme weather conditions in the country to the climate change phenomena. “The current heat wave in Pakistan is the result of a combination of meteorological, climatological and environmental factors,” Sahibzad Khan, flanked by senior officials of the PMD, told a press conference.
The primary cause of the heatwave, he added, were the meteorological conditions conducive to high temperatures. With the presence of high-pressure system, clear skies and limited cloud cover contributed to tapping of heat near earth’s surface. The PMD DG elaborated that climate change was increasing the frequency and intensity of heatwaves worldwide, including Pakistan. “Rising global temperatures, due to greenhouse gas emissions and other human activities, contribute to the overall warming of the planet, resulting in frequent extreme heat events, such as heatwaves,” he added. He said rapid urbanization was also causing higher temperatures in major cities like Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.
“Climate change mitigation, urban planning strategies and adaptation measures are essential for reducing the severity of heatwaves and protecting the population from their adverse effects”, the PMD DG suggested. To a question, Sahibzad Khan said that the current heat wave might not largely affect water supply systems and power generation as the country had sufficient water in the reservoirs due to heavy rains in last months. About the intensity of the upcoming monsoon rains, he said that the PMD was closely monitoring the weather patterns which indicated more rains.
However, the situation was still being analyzed by the officials. The PMD DG said that the government had been actively monitoring the heat wave situation and initiated measures to mitigate its impact through issuing advisories and warnings to the public through media, setting up cooling centers in urban areas and ensuring adequate supplies of electricity and water. “The PMD has already shared the heat wave alert to the health authorities which are now keeping vigilance and taking necessary measures,” he added. The Department, he said, had advised the citizens to stay hydrated, drink plenty of water throughout the day, stay cool, use fans and take cool baths to lower body temperature and avoid spicy food and hot beverages. “The citizens must wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing, and limit their outdoor activities during the period.
They also must not leave children or pets in vehicles,” he added. The PMD DG said there would an increase in the day temperature of 04-06 degree Celsius above normal form May 21-23 and 06-08 degree Celsius above normal from May 23-27 in Sindh and Punjab.
Similarly, he said, the day temperature was likely tor remain 05-07 degree Celsius above normal in Islamabad and 04-06 degree Celsius above normal in most areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir. He said the areas to be affected most due to the heat wave would be Thal, Sahiwal, Okara, Bhakkar, Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, Kot Addu, Rahim Yar Khan, Sibbi, Larkana, Sukkur, Dadu, Jacobabad and Shaheed Benazirabad. Urban areas would also be hit by the heat wave
