Heat wave continues in Telangana, toll rises to 178

Hyderabad, May 2 (IANS) The death toll due to heat wave in Telangana rose to 178, officials said on Monday.

Five deaths were reported since Sunday, taking the toll to 178 so far this season, an official in state disaster management department told IANS.

Nalgonda accounts for maximum number of deaths (53), followed by Mahabubnagar (33) and Medak (30). Seventeen died in Adilabad, 15 in Karimnagar, 10 each in Khammam and Ranga Reddy, nine in Nizamabad and one in Warangal. No deaths were reported from Hyderabad, the official said.

Meanwhile, in a tragic incident in Adilabad district, two children died of heat wave while crossing in a forest. The boys aged 14 and eight collapsed and died while walking with their mother from one village to other on Sunday. A shepherd found bodies of the two children on Monday. The mother of the children was also found in a critical condition and was shifted to hospital.

Many parts of the state remained in the grip of heat wave despite rains or thundershowers at few places. Ramagundam was the hottest place in the state with the maximum temperature being recorded at 46.4 degrees Celsius. The temperature was 44 or above in Nalgonda, Khammam and Bhadrachalam.

It was above 43.3 in Adilabad, 43.1 in Nizamabad and 43 in Hanamkonda. Hyderabad recorded maximum temperature of 42 degrees, though the weather turned cloudy in the evening.

Hyderabad Meteorological Centre has issued heat wave warning for Tuesday. Many parts of the state are very likely to record maximum temperature between 41 and 45 degrees. It also forecast thunderstorm with squall in all 10 districts of the state.

In neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, heat wave conditions prevailed in Rayalaseema and parts of coastal Andhra. Nandigama and Jangamaheswarapuram in coastal Andhra were hottest with maximum temperature of 43.6 degrees. Anantapur also sizzled at 43.4 while the maxim temperature in temple town of Tirupati was 43.

Unlike Telangana, authorities in Andhra Pradesh have not been providing information with regard to the death toll. Deputy Chief Minister N. Chinnarajappa had said on April 2 that 45 people died because of sun stroke but since then there has been no update on the number of deaths.