Andhra Pradesh continued to be in the grip of a heat wave on Saturday with few places sizzling at over 45 degrees Celsius, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

Jangamaheswarapuram was the hottest place in the state with a maximum temperature of 44.5 degree Celsius. Most of the places in Rayalaseema region witnessed severe heat wave conditions with maximum temperatures ranging between 43 and 44 degrees. Parts of coastal Andhra were relatively cool witnessing maximum temperatures between 35 and 37 degrees.

According to media reports, the heat wave conditions in Andhra Pradesh have so far claimed 20 lives. However, there was no official confirmation of this figure.

The state Health Department stated that 400 people were treated so far for heat stroke in various government-run hospitals. According to officials, all the affected were recovering.

Andhra's Principal Secretary, Health, Poonam Malakondaiah, directed the personnel in primary health centres and hospitals to take all necessary steps to provide immediate relief to those suffering sunstroke. She asked the officials to keep ORS packets and medicines ready in all primary health centres and hospitals.

Meanwhile, the IMD has issued a thunderstorm warning for coastal Andhra stating that a thunderstorm with gusty winds of 30 to 40 km per hour was very likely to occur at isolated places in coastal Andhra.

Earlier this week, according to data from the AP State Development Planning Society’s automatic weather stations, the temperature hit 47 degrees in Kurichedu Mandal of Prakasam district. Apart from parts of Prakasam district, Krishna and West Godavari districts also recorded temperatures above 44 degrees.

The heat wave conditions have been prevailing across the state as authorities said last week that more than 45 locations had already recorded temperatures between 45 and 46 degree Celsius, and in 101 locations, it was between 44 and 45 degree Celsius.

IANS inputs