Hyderabad: Heat stroke deaths in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh rose sharply after 77 people reportedly died in a single day amid intense heatwave conditions and soaring temperatures.
Severe heat continued across the Telugu states as temperatures touched nearly 45 degrees Celsius in several areas. In addition, strong heatwave conditions left people struggling to cope with the extreme weather.
According to available reports, 52 people died in Telangana while 25 others lost their lives in Andhra Pradesh on Monday due to heat stroke and extreme weather conditions. However, officials had not issued a consolidated final bulletin on the deaths at the time of reporting.
Unofficial field-level reports also indicated that nearly 200 to 300 people may have died from heat stroke across both states during the past week. Authorities were yet to formally verify those figures.
Heat stroke deaths trigger alerts in Telugu states
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department warned that high temperatures could continue for the next few days. The weather agency also cautioned that temperatures may rise further in several districts.
Following the warning, disaster management authorities in both states asked people to remain alert. Health department officials advised elderly people, pregnant women and children to avoid stepping outdoors unless necessary.
Officials said heat intensity would remain severe between 11 am and 4 pm. Therefore, residents were urged to stay indoors during peak afternoon hours.
Doctors also advised people to drink water regularly and consume buttermilk and ORS solutions to avoid dehydration and heat stroke complications.