Hyderabad, May 23: A severe heatwave in Telangana has begun to take a heavy toll on residents, with 16 reported deaths due to heat-related illnesses. This marks Telangana as the first state in India to officially report fatalities linked to heatwaves this year. In response to the rising temperatures and warnings from the meteorological department, the state government has entered a state of high alert.
On Saturday, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, the state’s Minister for Revenue, Housing, Information, and Public Relations, held an emergency review meeting with senior officials at the secretariat. The meeting focused on assessing the extreme heat conditions across various districts.
According to reports from district collectors, four deaths occurred in Jayashankar Bhupalpally district, while three fatalities were reported each in Warangal Urban, Karimnagar, and Nizamabad districts. Additionally, one death each was recorded in Jogulamba Gadwal, Ranga Reddy, and Suryapet districts, bringing the total to 16 across seven districts.
Minister Reddy, citing directives from Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, announced financial assistance of ₹400,000 for the affected families. He urged officials to expedite the disbursement of relief funds.
He noted that this year’s heat has shattered previous records, exacerbated by the effects of El Niño. Reddy emphasized the need for government machinery to operate with utmost vigilance, warning against any negligence. El Niño is a natural climate phenomenon characterized by unusually warm ocean waters in the equatorial Pacific.
The El Niño phenomenon significantly influences wind patterns and increases surface water temperatures. Reddy instructed officials to issue early warnings in areas experiencing the highest temperatures. He urged the media, social media, and local announcements to educate the public on heat safety measures.
The government has also mandated the provision of cold water, buttermilk, and ORS packets at bus stands, markets, main roads, labor-intensive areas, and crowded locations. Reddy stressed that no lives should be lost due to the heat.
He appealed to the elderly, pregnant women, children, and sick individuals to refrain from venturing outside between 11 AM and 4 PM. Special precautions were advised for workers in fields, construction sites, and on roads. Each district collector is tasked with monitoring conditions, ensuring that officials are present in the field at the village level. Medical teams are to be on standby for immediate treatment in case of heatstroke symptoms.
The government has also instructed measures to provide water for birds and animals. The meteorological department has warned that extreme heat and heatwave conditions will persist in Karimnagar, Peddapalli, Jayashankar Bhupalpally, Mulugu, Khammam, Nalgonda, Suryapet, Mahbubnagar, Hyderabad, and Ranga Reddy districts until May 26.
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