KARACHI: Various areas of the metropolis remained under the clutches of prolonged unannounced power outages despite recommencement of Bin Qasim power station’s faulty unit. During the month of Ramadan, residents of numerous localities had their sehri meals in candlelight. The power cuts during Karachi’s heat wave with soaring temperature up till 44°C left the citizens in distress. A spokesperson for K-Electric (KE) said that the load-shedding duration had been reduced from three hours to one in many areas. However, area’s facing line losses will be observing over seven hours load-shedding on average basis. Earlier, KE officials had said that the prolonged power cuts were due to some technical fault at Bin Qasim Power Station-II which was to be repaired by May 20. One of the crucial parts of the power station weighing 41 tonnes had been damaged, of which the spare part had to be flown in from Netherlands. The technical fault was the main reason Karachi faced a power crisis with a shortfall of 600-700 megawatts. Earlier the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) had announced that a heat wave is expected to soar up temperature in Karachi. On Sunday afternoon the temperature was recorded to be 44°C. According to PMD the heatwave will be on its peak till Wednesday, with no sea breeze expected the temperatures may stay above 40°C. Whereas, interior areas of Sindh are expected to reach up to 50°C in Sibi, Jocababad, Larkana, Nawabshah and Dadu. PMD issued warning announcements stating precautionary measures to beat the heat and to avoid dangers of heatstroke.