Sunstroke toll over 100

• Heat is unprecedented, say officials and citizens
• Death toll in one day goes up to 119
• Manuguru records 500 C; Hyderabad 440 C
• Govt. announces Rs 50,000 ex-gratia

Hyderabad: The mid-summer sun is continuing to scorch the State and the intense heat is taking a heavy toll on people, birds and animals. According reports received from Hans India correspondents from various district headquarters and rural areas, water has become a scarce commodity and there have been reports of people dying of thirst.

The death toll on Friday due to severe heat wave that has been sweeping the State claimed at least 119 lives with Karimnagar registering the highest death toll of 17. But according to official figures, only 35 people died of sunstroke on Friday in 15 districts, with Karimnagar accounting for eight casualties.

As many areas in the State registered the maximum temperatures in the morning itself, an ominous warning was given by the Hyderabad Met office which said the hot spell would continue for two more days.A The day temperature touched a peak of 44 degrees Celsius in Hyderabad.

Asked about media reports over the sunstroke deaths, Disaster Management Commissioner T Radha said they were awaiting official reports from different districts and they asked the District Collectors to send the lists of such deaths. "Some deaths have been reported. We are waiting for more details as it is only after medical examinations that the respective district authorities will prepare lists," Radha said, adding that they were likely to get the reports from various districts by Sunday.

This year's heat is unprecedented, both officials and general public claim. According to official figures, only 18 deaths due to sunstroke were reported till May 21 last year, Radha said. But this year over 90 deaths have been reported since April 1 to date.

According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), heat wave conditions prevailed over some parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh and most parts of Telangana. Rain occurred at isolated places over Rayalaseema region. Weather has been dry over coastal Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, it said.

A warning has been issued that heat wave conditions would prevail in the districts of Nellore, Prakasam, Guntur and Krishna in coastal Andhra Pradesh, Adilabad, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Warangal, Nalgonda, Medak and Hyderabad during the next two days.

Manuguru, a coalmine area in Khammam district, recorded the day's highest maximum temperature of 50 degrees Celsius. Ramagundam, Rentachintala and Bapatla experienced a high of 47 deg C.

The death of a daily wage worker, Anita, of Munaganuru in Hayatnagar mandal of Ranga Reddy district, and her two-year-old daughter, Tulasi, was heart-rending. When Anita succumbed to the effects of heat while being taken to a hospital, her daughter could not stop crying for her mother and after some time the girl breathed her last. The labourer's family hailed from Venkatapuram area of Mahbubnagar district.

Meanwhile, Revenue Minister N Raghuveera Reddy said in Hyderabad on Friday that he had asked the District Collectors to send details of deaths. The government would pay a compensation of Rs 50,000 each to victims' kin under the 'Apadbandhu' scheme. He also cautioned people not to move out between 10 am and 4 pm to avoid sunstroke and advised them to take necessary precautions if they had to move out.

Kodandaram wants real temperatures revealed

Hyderabad: Telangana Joint Action Committee chairman Prof. A M Kodandaram demanded that heat-wave be treated as calamity. He accused the government of ignoring sunstroke deaths and trying to conceal the actual temperature of about 50 deg C in the coalmine areas. He wanted the administration to stop coal-mining if the temperatures were really very high. The TJAC leader wanted steps to be taken to prevent sunstroke deaths and long-term measures to provide relief to the people.

First aid at exam centres

Hyderabad: As the continuous heatwave conditions torment the public, officials of Intermediate Board have made arrangements for first aid at all the exam centres across the State. Students will be asked to cool themselves a bit after entering the hall before writing the exam, Ramshankar Naik, Secretary of Board of Intermediate Education, said.

As reports of death of students and some of them falling sick inside exam halls have been pouring in, the secretary in a communiqué has asked the chief superintendents to arrange for first aid and has also sounded nearby doctors for help if necessary. "We asked them to be in touch with the DMHOs for doctors. Safe drinking water will be provided to all the students appearing for the exam" Naik informed.

As many as 34,124 students in first year and 11,518 students in Senior Inter did not take the Mathematics, Botany, Civics and Psychology papers on Thursday and 22 cases of malpractice have been booked in Junior and Senior Inter respectively. But over a lakh students have taken the Mathematics supplementary exam.

Beware of summer heat;A Rohini karthi begins

• Avoid direct exposure to sun
• Wear clothes completely covering the body
• Cover head, nose and ears, and wear cotton, white, loose fitting clothes
• Do not eat outside food; be careful aboutA roadside drinks
• Drink enough water, lemon juice with salt and sugar, butter milk, coconut water etc
• Take frequent baths or showers
• Avoid temperature fluctuations

Scorching heat takes a heavy toll

• Karimnagar, Nalgonda account for highest toll
• NREGS workers among most vulnerable
• Even young farmers are falling prey in fields

Hyderabad: Severe heat-wave conditions prevailing in several districts took a heavy toll of human lives on Friday. Daily wage earners especially PMNREGS workers, people in old age and children were succumbing to sun stroke during the last three days. People remained in doors for major part of the day leaving the roads and thoroughfares deserted. The soaring day temperatures rendered farmers and farm workers out in the fields highly vulnerable.

17 felled by heat stroke in Karimnagar district Karimnagar: A record number of 17 persons died due to intense heat waves in Karimnagar district on Friday. They were identified as Padma (30), a farm hand from Lakkepur in Manthani mandal; Akram (42), another agricultural labourer from Mahadevpur mandal; Yelabaka Srinu (45) in Kataram; Damerakunta Mallakka (60), a housewife from Kataram; Ravula Chandramma (58) from Jilugula village in Elakathurthi mandal; More Sudarshan (28), a student from Vennampalle in Saidapur mandal; Gude Bathukamma (60) from Marripalle village in Kamalapur mandal; Lakshminarayana (60) from Mallaram village in Vemulavada mandal; Lakshmikantham (60), a farmer in Chandurthi; Mallesh (21), another farmer from Ramagundam; Sattaiah (50) from Garshakurthi village from Gangadhara mandal; Gauraiah (60) from Lakshmidevapalle; Badduala Venkatesam (75) from Kothapalle in Karimnagar mandal; Burugupalle Rajamallaiah (55), a farmer from Chanjarla village in Manakonduru mandal; Yousuf (48), a banana vendor from Siricilla town; and an unidentified old person was found dead in Jagitial town.

16 lives vaporize in Nalgonda district Nalgonda: Sixteen persons, including two children, died of sunstroke in Nalgonda district on Friday. The deceased were identified as Vignesh (5) in Kodad; Chepuri Narayanamma (60) in Jeripothulaguyam in Chilkur mandal; Srinivas (35), a municipal worker in Gandhinagar, Miryalaguda; Chary(50), a carpenter of Shantinagar, Miryalaguda; Komati (60), a Girijan of Yenkapai Thanda, Samsthan narayanpur mandal; Nune Venkaiah(70) of Vanipaka, chityal mandal; Alle Venkatamma (47), a labourer of Eliminedu, Chityal mandal; an unidentified person in Chityal; Anumula Lingaiah(65) and Vantepaka muthamma (77), both from Nakrekal; Ranapangu Ramaiah (65) from Lingala, Penpahad mandal; Padem Ekambaram (50), a labourer in Nakrepally mandal; Gantla Achi Reddy (50), a farmer from Nemmani; Venkataiah (70) of Kommaiahgudam of Ramulupet mandal; Saidaiah (70) of Neredcherla mandal; and Tejaswini (3) in Nandipahad, Miryalaguda mandal.

Eight killed in Guntur Guntur: Eight persons died in Guntur district on Friday. They were Kattipuvvu Salman(45), an agricultural labourer of Suragallu, Shaik Ghalib (60) of Pulladigunta in Vatticherukuru mandal, Yerrakula Hanumanth Rao (70), a beggar, Punugupati Srisailam(57 ) of Sankuratripadu, Galib Sahib(53) of Gurazala, Palla Punnaiah (55) of Karampudi, Mose(55), a farm labourer of Kondaveedu, and Pushapalata(55), a house wife of yedlapadu.

Seven killed in Prakasam Prakasam: Seven persons, including an unidentified beggar (60) of Addanki, were killed in Prakasam district. They were Kurra Ankaiah (60), Tirupataiah (22) of Swarna, Venkaiah (72) of Chirala, Rathamma(52) of Kanigiri, Hanumanthu (60) of Pamuru, and Achemma (72) of Gayaripalli.

Khammam: Four persons were killed in the district. They were Pullamma(58) of Samiti Singaram, Ramanujamma(70) of Khammampadu, Lakshamma (67) of Ashwaraopet and Suresh(33) of Bonakal.

Adilabad: Six persons died in Adilabad district. They were Limbadri (52) of Nirmal who is MPDO of Khanapur, Shirisha(22) of Bellampalli, a student(13) of Kothapet, Anjali(40) of Jinnaram, Krishnaiah(50) of Chirlapalli and Gangubai of Sirpur Thanda.

Medak: Three persons died in Medak district. They were Lohit (80) of Pitlambase, Rajamallaiah(45) of Kokkonda and Jakkula Latchavva(55) of Malyal..

Heat wave claims 4 lives in Warangal Warangal: The scorching heat claimed the lives of following persons in Warangal district-Billa Venkaiah (70) of Pattipaka in Sayampet mandal, Bandi Chinna Mallaiah (50), Nagunuri Mallamma (60) of Nagaram village in Bhupalpalli mandal, Venishetty Ramakka (60) of Mailaram village in Ghanapur mandal.

Nine killed in Krishna Vijayawada: Nine persons, including a centenarian, were killed due to sunstrokes in Krishna district. They were Basamma of Merakapalem, Satyanarayana(55) of Movvapalem, K. Manikyam (105) of jakkulanekkalam, venkateswara rao (45) of buddhavaram, Gnanamma (75) of Gannavaram, M. Nancharamma (65) of Sampalli, M. Ademma (75) of Pallanki, Nageswar Rao (45) of Gudammadhavaram.

Five dead in Vizag Visakhapatnam: Five persons died in Visakhapatnam district on Friday due to severe heat wave conditions prevailing for several days over coastal Andhra. According to sources, Yarrayamma(60) of Alamanda village in Devarapalli mandal died soon after returning from field. Akkamma (70) of Tiruvolu village in Cheedikada mandal died at her residence. Similarly, Lakkela Umamaheswara Rao (39) of Vantrallapalem village in Madugula mandal died while returning from agriculture field. Mutyalamma (60) of A Koduru village in K Kotapadu mandal and an unidentified woman at Gauripatnam in Chodavaram mandal died at their residences. The maximum temperature recorded at Visakhapatnam airport was 39.8 degree Celsius.

Chittoor: Balamma (58), a labourer, died at her native village Vaddepalem in Varadayapalem mandal of Chittoor district on Friday afternoon. As usual she went for work on Thursday and returned home. As he felt uneasy, she did not venture out on Friday, and died while taking rest at her home. The local doctors diagnosed her clinical condition as dehydration.

One each died of sunstroke in Srikakulam, Kadapa and Anantapur districts. They were Paidi Musalayya (60) from Kuchelapuram village in Etcharla mandal In Srikakulam district; Nanubarla Lakshmaiah (55) from Jangampalle in Mydukur mandal in Kadapa district; and Nagaraju, a farm hand in Rayadurgam town in Anantapur district.