By Mubasshir Mushtaq
MUMBAI, India
A scorching summer heatwave has claimed the lives of over 700 people in two southern Indian states, local media has reported.
Soaring temperatures in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, which touched 116.6F [47C] in many districts in the past few days, have killed 766 people in heatwave and sunstroke-related incidents.
Just over 550 people died in Andhra Pradesh and 215 succumbed to the heatwave in Telangana state, reported Hyderabad-based daily Etemaad Urdu, quoting disaster management officials on Tuesday. Hyderabad city is the joint state capital for both the territories.
Sada Bhargavi, a senior disaster management official confirmed that the Telangana death toll was 215 since the heatwave began on May 15.
Five-hundred-and-fifty-one people succumbed to the extreme heat in 10 districts of Andhra Pradesh.
Andhra Pradesh state government asked people not to venture outside between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., local time.
Chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced a compensation package of $1,570 for relatives of each heatwave victim. Naidu also directed state officials to provide clean drinking water and buttermilk to protect against the heat.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicated on Tuesday that temperatures in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh would be between 84.2F [29C] to 105.8F [41C]. The states are likely to witness thunder clouds on Tuesday evening and night.
The heatwave has badly affected the manual labor done by daily wage earners who work under extreme weather conditions directly in sunlight.
New Delhi, India’s national capital, recorded its hottest day of the season with 113.9F [45.5C] degree Celsius on Monday.
In much of India, May is usually known for heat, but this summer IMD officials say the transfer of westerly winds from south Pakistan added to the strong dry spell.
