FORTY-NINE PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN A HEATWAVE IN PAKISTAN'S EASTERN PUNJAB PROVINCE DURING THE LAST 24 HOURS, BUT TEMPERATURES WERE EXPECTED TO SUBSIDE FROM SUNDAY, REPORTS AND WEATHER OFFICIALS SAID SATURDAY. ALL OF THE FATALITIES, INCLUDING 10 WOMEN, OCCURRED IN SOUTHERN PUNJAB WHERE THE MERCURY SHOT UP TO 46 CENTIGRADE CELSIUS, THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE DAILY TIMES REPORTED. "A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE FELL UNCONSCIOUS DUE TO SEVERE HEAT. OUT OF THESE 12 DIED OF HEATSTROKE AS THEY REACHED THE HOSPITAL TOO LATE," DR EIS MUHAMMAD OF SHAIKH ZAYED HOSPITAL IN RAHIM YAR KHAN CITY TOLD THE PAPER. WEATHER OFFICIALS IN ISLAMABAD, HOWEVER, SAID THAT THE HEATWAVE WOULD START TO PETER OUT DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. "THERE ARE NO CHANCES OF ANY IMMEDIATE RAINS, BUT THE HEATWAVE WILL START TO SUBSIDE," MUHAMMAD HANIF OF THE METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT TOLD DEUTSCHE PRESSE-AGENTUR DPA.
