A boy dives into a stream to cool himself during a hot day in Islamabad May 15. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

    ISLAMABAD, May 17 (Xinhua) -- At least 20 people died and more than 40 people fainted in the past 24 hours with the mercury rising to 49 degree Celsius which has increased death toll to 137 in central Pakistan's Punjab province, local newspaper Daily Times reported on Wednesday.

    Most of them died of extreme heat and unannounced power outages during the past 24 hours, the newspaper said.

    Temperature levels in the country in May were four to five degrees Celsius higher as compared to average temperatures, according to director general of the Meteorological Department Qamar Zaman.

    Zaman said that there had been 40 percent less rainfall in the country while snowfall in the catchment areas had been 20 to 25 percent less as compared with the same period of last year. Enditem