An estimated 1,345 people have perished in a span of less than 8 weeks on account of the heat wave sweeping across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
As per the latest reports, the death toll in Andhra Pradesh (latest update from three districts are still awaited) has climbed to 1,005 and the figure for Telangana as on Tuesday, was 340. Experts attribute the high casualties to the sudden rise in temperatures. For instance, the temperature in most parts of the two States till the second week of May, was hovering around 39 degrees Celsius. In several parts, it suddenly surged by three to four degrees.
As per statistics available with the Revenue Department, Nalgonda has seen 99 deaths due to heatstroke, 47 of them between May 21 and 23. Khammam too was hit badly, with 72 deaths since April 15; 47 of them reported between May 21 and 23.
Incidentally, Khammam and Nalgonda recorded the highest temperatures of the season, at close to 46 degrees Celsius on Tuesday. The Met department reported that the maximum temperatures appreciably rose at one or two places over the State, while they were markedly above normal at one or two places. Though deaths due to heatstroke were recorded even before, the toll began to rise since May 21, when there was a two to three degree spurt in temperatures. Between April 15 and May 1, six deaths were reported in the State, which rose to 47 by May 19. A total of 293 have fallen prey to the heat wave between May 20 and 26. This year compares worse with last year when the number of deaths due to heatstroke stood at 31, but the situation is certainly better than 2013 when the toll went up to 516. An ex gratia of Rs.50,000 each will be distributed to the kin of the heatstroke victims under the State government’s ‘Apathbandhu’ scheme, once the details are obtained from the District Collectors, officials informed. The deaths, however, will have to be certified by a civil surgeon. The State government has issued instructions to District Collectors to open ‘Chalivendrams’, and ensure that NREGS works are scheduled when it’s relatively less hot. The Medical and Health Department has been directed to open emergency call centres, and ambulance services on alert. Instructions have been issued to hospitals to offer free treatment to the poor. Symptoms of heatstroke have been widely circulated through the media, and contact numbers of officials up to the level of Tahsildar have been publicised, Special Commissioner in the Disaster Management wing, Sada Bhargavi, said. The Met department said that the heat wave would prevail over Adilabad, Ranga Reddy, Warangal, Khammam, Nalgonda, Nizamabad and Karimnagar up to May 29.
Experts attribute the high casualty rate to the sudden rise in temperature
