Hyderabad
Despite thunder showers bringing temperatures to bearable levels at some places including Anantapur and Hyderabad, most parts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh were still in the grip of high temperatures and heatwave conditions.
Y K Reddy, in charge director, Indian Meteorological Center Hyderabad said that heatwave conditions will continue in parts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for another 24 hours.
Worst-ever heatwave
Officials said the worst ever heatwave has claimed 1,979 lives in the two southern states with Andhra Pradesh accounting for 1,490 deaths and Telangana 489 deaths.
Sada Bhargavi, Special Commissioner Disaster Management in Telangana government said that 49 more deaths were reported till Friday evening. An official statement from Andhra Pradesh government said 156 more deaths reported till Friday evening. The update for yesterday was not yet available, but the officials said with the intensity of heatwave coming down, the number of deaths were also decreasing.
Isolated rains in a few areas in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana had provided some relief but the region continued to remain in the grip of the heatwave.
Temperatures at most places hovered between 40 and 45 degrees Celsius.
“The meteorology department has given a warning of high temperatures for two more days. There should be some relief as we can expect some rains by tomorrow,” Telangana disaster management official Sadabahar Kavi said.
In Hyderabad, after two days of intermittent showers, the temperature dipped significantly to about 40 degrees yesterday afternoon.
Mehubnagar district in Telangana also received 10mm of rain. A strong thunderstorm hit Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh last evening uprooting trees and electricity poles and disrupting power supply. The rains brought relief to people sapped by the heatwave conditions.
Still reeling
But districts of Guntur, Krishna, and East Godavari in Andhra Pradesh and Nalgonda in Telangana were still reeling under high temperatures. The meteorological centre said temperatures were about three to five degrees above normal in these areas.
Indian Meteorological Department has forecast more thunderstorms over the coming 48 hours at isolated places in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
India’s monsoon rains were expected to hit the southern coast of Kerala state by June 1.
