As South Asia bakes under a blistering heat wave, life-or-death decisions arrive with the midday sun
The scorching heat wave in South Asia is taking a deadly toll on its residents, forcing them to make difficult choices between working to survive and risking their lives in the extreme temperatures.
Abideen Khan and his 10-year-old son are among those feeling the heat in Jacobabad, a city in southern Pakistan, where temperatures have soared as high as 126 degrees Fahrenheit, or 52 degrees Celsius. The father-son duo earn their living by molding mud into bricks at a kiln under the open sky, but the blistering heat has forced them to stop working at 1 p.m., cutting their earnings in half.
“This is how we survive,” said Mr. Khan, as sweat dripped down his face. “It’s a choice between working and collapsing from the heat.”
The situation is dire in a part of the world that is among the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. The extreme heat in Pakistan and neighboring India is expected to continue for days or even weeks, with reports of heat-related deaths and heatstroke cases flooding hospitals.
In the northern Indian state of Bihar, at least 14 people have died from the heat, with reports suggesting the actual count could be higher. In Pakistan, the situation is no better, with temperatures reaching record highs in cities like Jacobabad and Mohenjo Daro.
For the residents of Jacobabad, where blackouts are common and access to necessities like water and proper housing is limited, coping with the heat is a daily struggle. Many cannot afford air conditioning or other alternatives, making their lives even more challenging.
The water crisis in the region has reached a critical point, with residents resorting to buying water from donkeys carrying tanks on the streets. The soaring demand has also driven up the price of ice, making it harder for the poor to find this essential commodity.
Despite the harsh conditions, many residents have no choice but to work outside, especially those involved in agriculture. The heatwave has made life even more difficult for farmworkers like Sahiba, who toil under the sun from dawn till afternoon, even while nine months pregnant with her 10th child.
As the temperatures continue to rise, more and more people in the district are becoming temporary climate refugees, seeking relief in cooler cities like Quetta and Karachi. However, for those who cannot afford to migrate, survival means enduring the punishing heat under makeshift tents in the open sky.
The suffering in Jacobabad is not new, with the city experiencing devastating floods in 2022, linked to erratic weather patterns associated with climate change. The heatwave is just the latest challenge for a city that has a long history of harsh climate conditions.
Despite the challenges, the residents of Jacobabad continue to persevere, much like the city’s namesake, British brigadier general John Jacob, who faced the city’s hostile climate in the 19th century. While the canals he built to supply fresh water are now dry and full of garbage, the spirit of resilience lives on in the people of Jacobabad as they navigate through yet another brutal summer in the age of climate change.
