Lahore - Punjab government announced rescheduling schools timings because of intense heatwave.
According to the Education Department, all schools of Punjab will start at 7:30 and will close at 11:00 am. The new timings will be applicable from May 23 to June 1. The Punjab government announced summer vacation from June 1. The Sindh government has already announced summer vacation due to harsh weather.
Scorching heat took two lives in the city while dozens hit by sunstroke and other heat-related diseases. Experts are expecting decrease in the intensity of prevailing heat wave after Sunday evening.
The maximum and minimum temperature was recorded 45C and 29C respectively. Relative humidity in the evening was recorded 20 per cent.
More than 2,000 people were hospitalised due to summer related complications yesterday. Majority of the patients were discharged after necessary treatment. Most of the gastroenteritis and diarrhea patients included children below seven years of age.
Jacobabad remained the hottest place in the country where mercury rose as high as 51 degree Celsius. Maximum temperature in Sibbi, Kot Addu and RY Khan was 50C, Sukkur, NoorpurThal, Bahawalnagar, Bhakkar and Shaheed Benazirabad 49C.
Doctors advised necessary precautionary measures to avoid heat stroke, gastroenteritis and diarrhea. They advised taking freshly cooked meal, enhancing fruit and liquid intake and using boiled water.
People have been urged to avoid junk food, direct exposure to sunlight at noon and in the afternoon, cover head while going out and wear glasses and light dress.
Due to the intense heat, people avoided unnecessarily coming out, reducing traffic at otherwise busy roads at noon and in the afternoon.
According to the experts, low pressure area lies over north Balochistan with its trough extending southeastward. Continental air will prevail over most parts of the country during next few days. A fresh western disturbance is likely to affect upper parts of the country on Sunday evening/night.
Local meteorological department has forecast mainly hot and dry weather for most parts of the country during the next 24 hours. Very hot weather conditions are likely to continue over plain areas of Punjab including Lahore, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh (Sukkur, Larkana, Mirpurkhas, Shaheed Benazirabad divisions), Sibbi and Makran divisions.