Citizens in Telangana and Hyderabad will have to brace themselves for the heat, as the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a two-day warning heatwave warning for the state.
The IMD said that the maximum temperatures were likely to be between 42 degree Celsius and 44 degree Celsius in most parts of Telangana for the next two days.
Heatwave conditions likely to prevail in the districts of Adialabad, Nizamabad, Nirmal, Komarambheem, Jagitial, Karimnagar and Warangal among other places. the IMD said.
The IMD declares an official 'heat wave', if there is a deviation of more than 5 degree Celsius from the expected maximum temperature, and if this weather persists for two or three days.
Temperatures continued to rise across the state on Saturday with Ramagundam, Nizamabad and Adilabad reaching 43 degree Celsius, while Hyderabad hovered at around 40 degree Celsius.
“An upper-air circulation is expected to affect South Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema after three days. This system could bring in moisture-laden air to Telangana. With humidity, discomfort being experienced becomes worse,” IMD representative Nagaratna was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, the State Government has directed District Collectors to implement the heat-wave action plan, which would involve several remedial measures to ensure that citizens can beat the heat.
In the last four years, India has witnessed as many as 4,620 deaths caused by heat wave, out of which 4,246 people died in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana alone, according to figures by the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
This comes even as Telangana’s neighbouring state of Andhra Pradesh requested the Centre to sanction an amount of Rs 680 crore as 'drought relief' after a Central team visited five drought-affected districts this week.
The team had visited Kadapa, Anantapur, Nellore, Prakasam and Vizianagaram districts, following which a meeting was held between the team members and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu at the Interim Government Complex (IGC) in Velagapudi on Thursday.
According to media reports, the team surveyed 121 mandals in five districts and said that the drought in Prakasam district was the worst as groundwater levels had severely depleted and there was an acute shortage of drinking water and fodder.