Heatwave kills 16 in Telangana as temperatures cross 46°C

At least 16 people have died due to the ongoing heatwave in Telangana as the state continues to battle extreme temperatures, with several districts in north Telangana recording temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius.

State authorities confirmed the deaths across seven districts and announced compensation of Rs 4 lakh each for the families of the victims.

Revenue minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy reviewed the worsening situation and directed officials to remain on high alert amid warnings that the heatwave could intensify further over the next three days.

During an emergency review meeting at the secretariat, the minister instructed district administrations to prioritise public safety and ensure swift action to prevent additional casualties.

According to district collector reports, four deaths were reported from Jayashankar Bhupalapalli district, three each from Warangal Urban, Karimnagar and Nizamabad, and one each from Jogulamba Gadwal, Rangareddy and Suryapet districts.

Officials attributed the unprecedented rise in temperatures to the severe impact of the El Niño weather phenomenon.

The minister directed authorities to identify the hottest mandals and villages, issue advance warnings, and spread awareness through media, social media and village-level announcements.

Data from the Telangana Development Planning Society showed that 18 out of the state’s 33 districts recorded temperatures of 45 degrees Celsius or higher on Saturday.

Sirpur in Kumaram Bheem Asifabad district emerged as the hottest location in the state, recording 46.5°C.

Several other areas — including Dharampuri in Jagtial, Gangadhara in Karimnagar, Kasipet in Mancherial and Yergatla in Nizamabad — recorded temperatures touching 46.4°C.

The India Meteorological Department has issued orange alerts for multiple districts including Komuram Bheem Asifabad, Mancherial, Karimnagar, Peddapalli, Jayashankar Bhupalpally, Mulugu, Khammam, Nalgonda, Suryapet, Mahabubabad, Warangal and Hanumakonda.

Yellow alerts have also been issued for several districts, including Hyderabad, Rangareddy and Medchal-Malkajgiri.

The weather department has additionally forecast thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds of 40-50 kmph in parts of Telangana, including Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Nalgonda, Sangareddy and Mahabubnagar districts.

With IANS inputs