Even as the officials in Telangana on Tuesday declared an end of the severe and deadly heatwave, Andhra Pradesh Government officially confirmed the death of 551 people in heatwave since May 13. Andhra Pradesh deputy Chief Minister China Rajappa told media in Hyderabad that the figure does not include the deaths which occurred on Tuesday. According to unofficial reports, 13 more deaths were reported from the heat wave-affected districts of Nellore, Prakasham, Guntur and West Godavari districts.
“The State Government will pay Rs1 lakh ex-gratia to the family of each deceased person,” the deputy CM said. Guntur recorded the highest 104 deaths followed by 90 in East Godavari district. Almost all the 13 districts of AP were affected by the severe heat wave this time, he added. The effect of heatwave continued to be felt in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday as the temperature at many places was three to seven degrees Celsius above normal.
The situation in Telangana, on the other hand, improved as the maximum temperatures fell at many places significantly. The State Commissioner for Disaster Management BR Meena said, “For the last two days there is no heat wave in the State and the final toll is 215 since April 15,” he said. But the local media said that 26 more died in the State during last 24 hours. In other parts of the city the situation was no better for the last week or ten days as the daily wage earners were the hardest hit.
Even as the policemen and security personnel have also not gone unaffected. Two members of special security force on duty at the Telangana State Secretariat collapsed due to the sun stroke on Tuesday. Death seems to be lurking at every corner as hot winds were sweeping the hinterland. A passenger, who boarded the bus at Kamareddy for Warangal in Telangana around noon on Monday died during the journey. His body was found in the last row of the bus and authorities are trying to identify him.
“The only saving grace this time is that the power cuts were not so frequent or for longer duration. Otherwise I don’t know how many more would have died,” said Shanta Ram, a teacher in Janagam, about 110 kms away from Hyderabad. KY Reddy, director in-charge, Hyderabad Meteorological Center had a good news. “Worst is over. Now the temperature will start falling in the next 24 hours over Telangana,” he said. He forecast showers in some place in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh over the next couple of days even as people were impatiently waiting for the onset of monsoon scheduled for the first week of June.
But the woes of Andhra Pradesh were likely to continue for some more time. “The heat wave will continue in coastal Andhra for another 24 hours”, the Cyclone Warning Center at Visakhapatanam said. Meanwhile, a Met department bulletin said that rains will start in neighboring States of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu from May 28.