At least six persons including two minor children have died due to extreme cold during last 24 hours in Multan, Muzaffargarh, Alipur, Rajanpur and Layyah. Principal Nishtar Medical College Professor Dr Laiq Hussain Siddiqui said.
"We have been receiving a number of patients of pneumonia, chest infection and other cold related diseases as mercury fell below freezing point." He said that three patients died of cold in our emergency. District Health Officer Muzaffargarh Dr Ashaq Malik has confirmed two cold related deaths in Alipur and Muzaffargarh. A Cold wave gripped Multan and its adjoining areas on Monday and it continued even on Tuesday while the Pakistan Meteorological Department forecast similar conditions for the next two or three days.
The mercury started dipping after the recent spell of rains, which hit this zone a few days ago and the temperature dropped to 0 C on Monday & Tuesday while the minimum temperature was recorded at zero degree centigrade on Tuesday.
The existing chill will continue to prevail in the city as well as across the Southern Punjab, Met officials said, adding the temperature would start falling after the next two to three days.
The maximum temperature, which on Sunday was recorded at 18, C also dropped to 16.4C on Tuesday. Met office said the cold and dry continental air had engulfed the country, especially the Punjab and Northern Areas after the westerly clouds moved forward. It said north westerly cold waves prevailed in Kashmir and Northern Areas, which had lowered the temperature in the region.
Meanwhile, thin attendance was noticed in educational institutions and Government offices due to cold spell in Multan, Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan divisions. The reason was that most parents refrained from sending their children to school in cold weather. Some parents said many schools were not allowing students to wear trousers instead of shorts.
The extreme cold also reduced the number of people who used to go for morning and evening walks in different city parks. A rush was seen in second hand clothes markets on Tuesday. People were seen purchasing sweaters, jackets and shawls. The number of people at Hussain Agahi's Landa bazaars also witnessed an increase on Monday. The sale of gas and electricity heaters also increased and a large number of people were seen buying the same.