HYDERABAD: The unrelenting heat wave sweeping across Telangana claimed 12 lives Nalgonda district in a single day causing concern among authorities and farm workers who are forced to toil under scorching sun to earn a living. Adilabad and Karimnagar district also reported one death each bringing the toll to 14 on Saturday.
The victims belong to the lower strata of society. Daily labourers, masons and rickshaw drivers were among the victims. All of them are aged between 45 and 70 years.
The mercury continued to soar in Nalgonda district on Saturday, with the maximum temperature touching 44.8 leaving the district sizzling under intense heat. Though the authorities had issued warning urging people to stay indoors during noon hours, daily wage labourers, especially farm workers are forced to work under the blistering sun. Sunstroke deaths were reported from Vemulapally, Miryalaguda, Damaracherla, Peddadisharlapally, Chityala, Nampally and Kodad mandals in Nalgonda district.
With the state recording 14 deaths on Saturday, the unofficial count has reached to 109 till date. However, the officials put the figure at just 19 one week back. The officials are still enquiring into the cause of deaths and they are yet to update the number of deaths.
The heatwave conditions prevailing in the State is unusual for the month of April. The state had experienced similar drought conditions in 2009 and 2010. Already, the State had witnessed more than 20 heatwave days in this season.
On Saturday, the temperature soared past 45 degrees Celsius in Nizamabad, Nalgonda, Khammam and Bhadrachalam towns. This was the highest ever temperature recorded in the state in this season.
Meanwhile, some parts of Khammam district, despite severe heat conditions received rainfall too on Saturday. Manuguru 2 cm, Yellandu and Kothagudem received 1 cm each rain.
Heat wave conditions are likely to prevailAcross Telangana on Sunday.