CHENNAI: The severe heat wave that is sweeping several parts of the country has so far claimed over 500 lives, from the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The death toll on Monday in the two states stood at 532. Meanwhile, the heat intensified in Chennai on Monday, and New Delhi recorded the highest temperature of the year.
Blistering conditions prevailed across the country during the day, with Andhra Pradesh being the worst affected where over 300 people lost their lives in the intense heat in the last one week. As many as 200 were reported dead in Telangana, about 25 per cent of them since Saturday. In Vijayawada, the proposed new capital of Andhra Pradesh, the temperature was 45.6 degrees Celsius, while the forecast for Tuesday is 46 degrees Celsius. It was 44.8 degrees Celsius at the monitoring station at Ramagundam, and the coming days are expected to remain as hot.
The temperature was around 45-46 degrees Celsius in other places, including New Delhi, Odisha, Haryana and Punjab.
In Chennai, it was 42.2 degrees Celsius at Nungambakkam up from 41.6 degrees Celsius recorded on Sunday. According to data from the Meteorogical Department, this is 4.1 degrees Celsius above the average. It was higher at 42.4 degrees Celsius at the second station in Meenambakkam.
This, however, is still lesser than the hottest day in May, the peak summer, in the last few years.
Tuesday is expected to be the same, with the Regional Meteorogical Department, Chennai, predicting the temperature to be around 42 degrees Celsius.Among the districts, Vellore, too, recorded a similar high temperature like Chennai, and it is expected to continue in the coming days. Tiruttani sizzled at 43 degrees Celsius.
Meanwhile, in the Union Territory of Puducherry, the territorial administration has declared that both government and private schools in Puducherry and Karaikal would reopen only on June 12 due to the prevailing climatic conditions. However, there is no bar on holding special classes for Class X and XII students, said a statement from the Education Minister’s office.