A few districts in Andhra Pradesh continued to reel under severe heat wave conditions for the second consecutive day on Friday even as nine more sunstroke deaths were reported from Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts.
According to Met authorities, severe heat wave conditions prevailed in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam and parts of Coastal Andhra. The situation was likely to continue on Saturday too and the IMD issued an ‘orange’ message keeping the administration in these districts on a level of high alert. While severe heat wave situation had been forecast for north Andhra, heat wave conditions were expected in Guntur, Krishna and Prakasam districts.
Most district administrations have extended the summer holidays for schools till Monday. In Srikakulam district, where mercury touched 43 degree Celsius, death toll due to sunstroke mounted to 10 after four more persons – B. Suryanarayana (70) of Bobillipeta village, Amudalavasala mandal, Chitti Valasa Laxmi (44) of Punduru village, Gouda Santosh (35) of Palasapatnam village and G. Narayanamma (70) of Penta village, Ponduru mandal succumbed on Friday.
About 15 students of a government Primary School at Ovipeta village of Borjha mandal in the district were taken ill due to dehydration. School authorities rushed a medical team to the school and provided treatment to students. Their condition is said to be stable.
In Vizianagaram district, which recorded a maximum temperature of 40 degree Celsius, two persons reportedly died at Gajapatinagaram while reports from East Godavari said V. Annapurnamma (70), of Konaseema, succumbed to sunstroke as she was suffering with dehydration since last three days. Unconfirmed reports said two persons died of severe heat wave conditions in Visakhapatnam.
In Vijayawada, where the mercury shot up to 42 degree Celsius, streets almost wore a deserted look in the afternoon. Tuni in East Godavari district, bore the brunt with a maximum temperature of 44.6 degree Celsius followed by Rentachintala of Guntur, which recorded 44 degree Celsius. Most places like Bapatla, Narsapuram, Machilipatnam, Visakhapatnam recorded 43 degree Celsius.
