Telangana, parts of Andhra continue to reel under heat wave

Telangana and parts of Andhra Pradesh continue to reel under intense heat wave conditions, officials said on Tuesday.

The met department has issued heat wave warning for both the states over next two days.

According to the meterological centre at Hyderabad, heat wave conditions are very likely to prevail over many parts in Telangana's Adilabad, Nizamabad, Karimanagar, Khammam, Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Medak, Mahabubnagar, Warangal and Nalgonda districts on April 20 and 21.

Heat wave warning has also been issued for districts of Anantapur, Chittoor, Kadapa and Kurnool of Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh.

Adilabad and Nizamabad districts sizzled at 43.3 degree Celsius on Tuesday. Hanamkonda recorded highest temperature at 42.6 while it was 41.4 in Medak and Nalgonda. Hyderabad was slightly better at 39.2 degree Celsius.

In Rayalaseema, the highest maximum temperature of 42.5 degree Celsius was recorded at Anantapur while it was 42.4 in Kurnool.

According to reports by some Telugu television channels, 10 people died of heat wave in Telangana on Tuesday. Unofficial reports have put the death toll in the state so far this season at 100. The officials, however, remained tightlipped on the death toll.

The state's disaster management department earlier this month had issued a statement that the heat wave so far claimed 66 lives. However, Deputy Chief Minister Mohammed Mehmood Ali said only 19 deaths have been confirmed.

Ali, who holds revenue, relief and rehabilitation portfolio, said verification was on. The department continues to issue contradictory figures with one official stating that the heat wave so far claimed 35 lives.

Meanwhile, the disaster management department has decided to develop a portal to provide timely warning to people about extreme weather conditions like the heat wave.

The portal will use data obtained from 885 sensors installed across the state.

The Telangana government has also asked the labour and employment department to ensure that outdoor workers are not made to work between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.

In Andhra Pradesh, the officials had confirmed 45 deaths about two weeks ago. However, the figure has not been revised since.

Weathermen have predicted that the two Telugu states may get a respite from heat only with the arrival of monsoon. They forecast that maximum temperature will continue to remain two to three degrees above normal in coming days.

However, cumulonimbus clouds likely to be formed from time to time may trigger flash rains, hailstorm, providing temporary respite from the heat.