Mercury has dipped significantly in most parts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana where an unprecedented and deadly heatwave over the last few weeks has left behind a huge death toll of more than 2,200. Officials said 1,677 people died in Andhra Pradesh since May 13 and 542 people in Telangana since April 15.
According to the Meteorological Center at Hyderabad the heatwave had abated in most parts of the two States but some pockets were still experiencing temperatures three to five degrees above normal.
In Telangana, Adilabad and Nizamabad were the hottest places with the maximum temperature of 46 degrees Celsius on Sunday, Hyderabad Meteorological Department said in a bulletin. Warangal, Karimnagar, Nalgonda, Medak and Khammam also had mercury ranging between 45 to 43 degrees Celsius.
In Andhra Pradesh the situation was relatively better as temperatures decreased at most of the places. Jangamaheswarapuram in Guntur remained the hottest place with 45 degrees Celsius followed by 42 in Ongole and Nellore. No fresh deaths on account of heatwave were reported on Monday from anywhere in both the States during the last 24 hours.
Heavy rains lashed Narasapuram in West Godavari district inundating low lying areas and damaging the crops over thousands of acres. The rains continued for two hours hitting the normal life. Apart from the rains at isolated places in Andhra region, rains also occurred at many places in four Rayalaseema districts of Anantapur, Chittoor, Kadapa and Kurnool. Meanwhile, a controversy has erupted over the correct death toll in Andhra Pradesh as the Government is yet to confirm that all the reported deaths were due to heatwave.