Hyderabad recorded its highest maximum day temperature for April in the last decade on Monday, even as three districts reeled in the grip of a heatwave. Intense spells of heat this summer may have caused at least 31 deaths in the State. The India Meteorological Department has warned of heatwave for the next three days.
The city recorded 43 degrees Celsius for the second year in a row. This is the highest recorded in the last 10 years. Soaring day temperatures forced people to remain indoors during late morning and afternoon. The IMD had issued a heatwave alert for Sunday and Monday. An alert was also issued for the next three days.
The IMD also issued advisories about heat exhaustion that can arise from outdoor exposure.
Hyderabad recorded 43 degree Celsius last year on April 14. IMD scientists attributed frequent intense heatwaves and rising maximum temperatures to climate change being witnessed across the globe.
Mahabubnagar recorded 44.5 degrees Celsius on Monday, the maximum for any district in the State. Heatwave was declared in Khammam, Mahabubnagar, and Hyderabad.
Meanwhile, it was learnt that 31 deaths, that were attributed to heat, were being examined by three-member medical committees in the districts. These deaths were known to have occurred in the last two weeks, though the first heatwave for this year was declared on April 16 and 17.
Examining deaths
Most of these suspected heat deaths occurred in Mahabubabad and Khammam. The committees would have to certify if a death is due to heat before the families can avail compensation from the government. Official sources said district administrations were carrying out awareness programmes to minimise causalities this summer.
In 2015, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh witnessed unprecedented number of deaths due to heatwave. While the official numbers were pegged much lower, the total number of reported deaths exceeded 2,000 in the Telugu States.
A heatwave is declared if at least two stations recorded temperatures exceeding the normal temperature for that time by five degrees Celsius on two consecutive days.
