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ISLAMABAD. — A devastating heat wave has killed at least 130 people over the past 36 hours in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi, officials said yesterday. Provincial health secretary Saeed Mangnejo said the 130 people died at various hospitals after suffering from heat strokes in the city, where mercury has raised as high as 45 degrees Celsius.

He said hospitals have been receiving patients of heat stroke since Saturday night in the mega city, capital of the Sindh province.

Talking to media, Dr Seemi Jamali, the Medical Superintendent of the state-owned Jinnah Hospital said over 85 people suffering from heat stroke were pronounced dead at her hospital since Saturday.

She said most of the deceased were men aged 50 or above, adding that over 30 people were brought dead at the hospital while the other 55, who were in critical condition, died in the hospital during treatment.

A total of 45 people died at other state-owned hospitals including 30 in Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, nine in Lyari General Hospital and six in the Civil Hospital Karachi. Doctors at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital said most of the patients were brought to the hospital unconscious. — Xinhua.