2 more dead after inhaling toxic gas in Karachi's Keamari area; Sindh CM orders evacuation

Two more people died on Monday night after inhaling mysterious toxic gas which emitted again in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi, while 150 others complaining of breathing difficulties have been rushed to the hospital over the past 24 hours, prompting Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to order the evacuation of residents from the affected areas.

A total of seven people have died in Karachi's Keamari area from inhaling the leaked toxic gas, the nature of which has not been ascertained, police said. The first five deaths were reported on Sunday night when the toxic gas had first emitted in the said area.

The directives to evacuate residents from the affected areas were issued during an emergency meeting convened on Monday night at the Sindh Chief Minister's house, Dawn reported, citing CM House spokesperson, Rasheed Channa.

"The smell is spreading with the wind," said the CM, while issuing directives to shift residents of the affected areas to marriage halls located in the nearest safe area.

A total of 150 people suffering breathing problems have been shifted to Ziauddin hospital in Clifton and other hospitals for medical treatment.

One of the deceased has been identified as Imran Ashraf, 30, while another is aged around 50 years.

During the meeting convened on Monday night, Karachi Commissioner Iftikhar Shallwani informed that a ship that was offloading soybean or a similar substance could be the probable cause of the 'mysterious' gas.