HYDERABAD: Mercury levels touched 45.20 Celcius in the state on Thursday, marking the hottest day of the year so far. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in Hyderabad, maximum temperatures are likely to rise gradually by 2-30 Celcius in the next two days.
As per the Telangana State Development Planning Society (TSDPS), Hajipur in Mancherial district and Madugulapally in Nalgonda district recorded 45.20 Celcius on Thursday, followed by Asif Nagar in Hyderabad with 41.80C. The maximum average temperature during the day within Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits stood at 40.9°Celcius against 38.8°Celcius Normal.
Many parts of the state also received light to moderate rainfall and thundershowers, with Rangareddy district receiving 42.5 mm of rainfall followed by Nirmal district at 17.5 mm of rainfall.
The IMD has forecasted light to moderate rains and thundershowers for the next seven days, with a yellow alert being issued for the state till April 22. Hyderabad will witness partly cloudy skies for the next 48 hours.
To avoid sizzling heat, people prefer staying indoors
Due to the extreme heat during summer, many people are hesitant to leave their homes to attend to office or personal matters. In the Nizamabad and Kamareddy districts, temperatures have risen from 38°Celcius to 42°Celcius in a single day, creating challenges for residents in both villages and towns. This heatwave has negatively impacted local businesses.
Street vendors and small business owners are facing difficulties due to the intense heat. To help mitigate these challenges, officials have directed NREGS labourers to work from 12 pm to 5 pm, and various other departments have advised their staff to take precautions when working outdoors in the heat. During the afternoon, road traffic is sparse, while hospitals experience high patient loads during the morning and evening hours.
Despite the heat, the sale of coconut water, cane juice, buttermilk, and fruit juices has seen a boost in town. Vendors regularly bring coconut supplies from Bengaluru and Coastal Andhra Pradesh every two days. Coconut prices range from Rs35 to Rs50, depending on the size. In an effort to promote their businesses, some vendors share health tips with hospital patients and visitors. This has led many people to adopt coconut water as a regular beverage, increasing its demand in town.
Officials are concerned that temperatures may continue to rise in the coming days.
Government General Hospital (GGH) Nizamabad Superintendent Dr. Prathimaraj mentioned that the hospital receives one or two cases of sunstroke daily. A special ward has been set up to treat sunstroke cases, and the hospital has sufficient medication supplies.