Severe heatwave in Pakistan, mercury above 40˚C in many cities

ISLAMABAD

An intense heatwave has swept Pakistan, with temperatures reaching above 40 degrees Celsius (118 degrees Fahrenheit) in many cities on Thursday.

According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, the maximum temperature of 48˚C (114.8 to 118.39 degrees Fahrenheit) was recorded in Jacobabad, a district in southern Sindh province.

The province's Kashmore, Qambar Shahdadkot, Shikarpur, Larkana, Sanghar, and Shaheed Benazirabad districts recorded average temperatures ranging from 44˚C to 46˚C (111.20 to 114.80 degrees Fahrenheit).

Temperatures in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province's Dera Ismail Khan district reached 47˚C (116.6 degrees Fahrenheit), followed by Peshawar and Bannu districts, where mercury remained 46˚C (115 degrees Fahrenheit).

People in Punjab and Balochistan provinces are also facing scorching heat.

The Met department said the current heat spell will end on Friday, with rain and wind expected in Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad, and parts of Punjab and Balochistan provinces.