Heat wave claims 21 lives in Telangana, India
Featured image: Hyderabad's fiery Sun. Credit: Pranav (CC - Flickr)
At least 21 people have succumbed to heat strokes in the southern Indian state of Telangana over the past week as continuing heat wave conditions severely affect life.
Telangana and Andhra Pradesh state governments have issued advisory appealing citizens to stay indoors and take precautionary measures as severe heatwave conditions continue across the states.
In Telangana, at least 21 people have died over the past week, the Deccan Herald reports. People have succumbed to heat strokes in Nalgonda, Nizamabad, Warangal and Sangareddy districts as humidity dipped to 13%.
Mercury soared to 44 °C (111.2 °F) in the coal mining areas of Kothagudem and Mancherial. Barring a few places in the southern parts closer to Andhra Pradesh, most of Telangana recorded above 40 °C (104 °F).
According to the Deccan Chronicle, capital Hyderabad recorded 43 °C (109.4 °F) on Monday, April 17, which is the highest temperature recorded in April this season. The all-time record for April was 43.3 °C (109.9 °F) on April 30, 1973.
"In many districts, heat wave conditions will prevail but May is going to be even hotter," IMD director at Hyderabad, YK Reddy told CNN News 18. "We have already issued forecast that 2017 summer will be 1 °C (1.8 °F) warmer. Temperatures can go as high as 48 °C (118.4 °F)."
"We have issued warnings to State governments for necessary actions. But not just governments, it’s important that people must also protect themselves," Reddy said.
People have been asked to avoid going out in direct Sun between 11:00 and 16:00, keep drinking water, buttermilk or coconut water to keep themselves hydrated, use cloth to cover their heads when out in direct sun and wear light clothes.
Awareness campaigns are being conducted to help people understand signs of heatstroke like weakness, heat rashes, dizziness and headache, and what precautions they must take during peak summers.
Teo Blašković founded The Watchers in 2011 and edited it until 2026, covering seismic and volcanic activity, extreme weather, space weather and near-Earth objects. Articles on this page are his archive.
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