Hyderabad: Telangana and Andhra Pradesh had no respite from the ongoing oppressive heatwave on Friday. Another 50 people died due to the heat and sun strokes in Telangana while 35 deaths were reported from different places in Andhra Pradesh. With this, the total number of deaths in the two states over the last one month has risen to 310.
Roads and public places were deserted as people were forced to confine themselves to the safety of their homes or other shelters. In Hyderabad, normally busy junctions were silent and even roads around historic Charminar in the old city were deserted. In a novel demonstration of the intensity of heat, a person turned eggs into omelette by putting a pan under the sun in Charminar.
Hyderabad city recorded a high of 44 degrees for the second consecutive day while the Meteorological Centre warned that the severe heatwave will continue for at least another 48 hours. Temperatures may cross 47 degrees Celsius at some places in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh in the next two days, warned Y K Reddy, director-in-charge, Met office, Hyderabad.
Ramagundam in Karimnagar was the hottest spot in Telangana, with temperatures soaring to more than 46 degrees. Mahbubnagar recorded 45 degrees. Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh clocked in 46 degrees while Rentachintala recorded 44 degrees.
There was no respite for people at night as the temperature was 35 degrees and frequent unscheduled power cuts added to their woes.
Thursday was the hottest day in many places as temperature threatened to break records. Adilabad reeled as the Mercury touched highs of 45 degrees Celsius coming close to the highest-ever temperature of 46.8 degrees Celsius recorded in 1995. Nizamabad recorded a high of 46 degrees.
Hyderabad had recorded the highest-ever temperature of 45.5 in 1966 and the weather office said that this could be broken over the next two days. Y K Reddy issued a heatwave warning for 48 hours and urged the people to take precautions and avoid exposure to the heat especially between 12 noon and 4pm.
It is after nearly one-and-a-half decades that the summer heat has turned so deadly and claimed so many lives in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Weather officials have attributed the unusually intense heat to hot winds blowing North-North West towards the two states.
On Friday, Warangal reported the highest toll of 12 followed by 11 at Nalgonda, nine each in Khammam and Karimnagar, five in Mahabubnagar, three in Adilabad and one in Hyderabad.
The situation was equally bad in Andhra Pradesh where 11 people died in Prakasham district followed by seven in Krishna and six in Nellore. Deaths were also reported from Srikakulam, Kurnool and Anantapur.
The Telangana government cautioned the old people, children and women from going out into open.
Andhra Pradesh Health Minister K Srinivas held a review meeting of the situation, and directed the officials to create awareness among the masses on the precautions to be taken to prevent sun stroke.
