Intense heat wave continues in AP, claims five more lives

The death toll due to intense heat wave continued to rise in Andhra Pradesh with five more deaths recorded from Guntur district even as temperature touched almost 50 degree mark in various parts of the state.
Five deaths were officially recorded in Guntur today even though unofficial reports claimed 18 persons were killed due to heat stroke.
Although an official toll count of sunstroke deaths in the state for the day was not issued, a note by the state disaster management department has put the number of deaths at 274 since April 1, 2013.
Palvancha and Kothagudem towns in the coal belt in Khammam district recorded maximum temperatures of 49 and 48 degrees Celsius respectively while Rentachintala in Guntur district recorded 47.3 degrees C.

Temperatures ranged from a high of 47 degrees in Vijayawada, Bapatla, Machilipatnam, Sattupalli, Illendu to 40 degrees in Visakhapatnam.
As per the Met forecast, heat wave conditions would prevail over coastal Andhra and parts of Telangana over the next 48 hours.

An official release from the AP Disaster Management Commissioner T Radha said maximum temperatures markedly rose at one or two places in coastal Andhra Pradesh and changed little over Rayalaseema.
Temperatures, however, fell at one or two places over Telangana.
"Kin of those who died of sunstroke, belonging to the below poverty line families, are eligible for ex-gratia payment of Rs 50,000 each under the Apatbandhu scheme based on post-mortem report and a police FIR," the disaster management commissioner said.