The heatwave has forced the Telangana Government to advance the summer holidays by a week. The summer holidays, which were to start next week will now start from Saturday and end on June 12, the State school department announced.
Officials said that the decision was taken in view of the warning of the Indian meteorological department and the State disaster management department that the heatwave conditions will persist for a few more days.
The State was in the grip of a heatwave for the last many days as the temperature was five degrees above normal.
According to the meteorological department most of the places in Telangana recorded temperatures between 40 to 45 degrees Celsius, a very rare phenomenon at this time of the year. It has broken a record of more than a decade at many places.
Weather officials in Hyderabad said that except Adilabad, the heat wave would continue in all other districts over the next 48 hours. Nizamabad was the hottest place with 44 degrees Celsius, they said.
Director of school education in a Press release said, “the summer vacation is rescheduled from April 16 to June 12”. The decision was taken due to high day temperature in the State and in view of the demand from the parents, he said.
Meanwhile most parts of neighbouring Andhra Pradesh were also experiencing a very harsh summer and heat wave was prevailing in many parts of Rayalaseema region. Anantapur was the hottest place in the State with 44 degrees Celsius on Friday followed by 43 degrees in Kurnool and 42 degrees in Kadapa. Temperature was 40 degrees and above in many places in coastal Andhra including Vijayawada.
Both the Telugu States have already recorded more than 115 deaths on account of heat wave. last year nearly 2000 peopled died in the severe heat wave in the two States. The Meteorological department has warned the temperatures could be even higher and may touch 47 degrees in some places this year in May, the cruelest month of Indian summer.