The heat wave continued in Medak district on Saturday with sunstroke deaths being reported from different places of the district since morning. According to sources, ten deaths were reported in the district. They were – Kavitha a labourer at Siddapur tanda in Kohir mandal, Kanteppa (70) at Fhatepur village in Kalher mandal, Prabhakar, an autorickshaw driver at Ramachandrapuram, Begari Ramulu (60) at Venkatraopet in Toguta mandal, Lakshmi (70) at Polamapally in Chegunta mandal, Veeresham (19) at Korpol in Pulkal mandal, Lakshamaiah (65) Choutkur, Y. Ramakrsihna Reddy (66), Tagili Sailu (40) at Sheripally in Tekmal mandal and Mallaiah (75) at Kucharam in Toopran mandal reportedly died with sunstroke.
Adilabad Special Correspondent adds: One person died of sunstroke in Kagaznagar on Saturday taking the toll of sunstroke deaths in Adilabad to 11 since May 3. Though independent count puts the number of sunstroke deaths in Adilabad to about 20 since April 26, officials do not agree with it.
According to an official report, sunstroke deaths began on May 3 when Dande Lasumbai, aged 50 years died at Panchagui in Lokeswaram mandal. The maximum of three deaths took place on May 21 when Gorla Raju of Mahalingi in Tanur, Sunkari Ramulu of Bheemaram in Jaipur and Katla Srirama Chetti of Mandamarri mandal headquarter succumbed to dehydration.
Meanwhile, the maximum temperature recorded on Saturday was 44.3 degree Celsius in Adilabad though other places in Nirmal Revenue Divisions stayed hotter at 46 degree Celsius. The low intensity hot winds blowing from the North-West made matters worse in the afternoon.
Nizamabad Special Correspondent adds: A sanitary worker, Lingamma (40), of Maltummeda village in Nagireddipet mandal on Saturday fell prey to the heat wave blowing unabated across the district. She died of dehydration, vomiting and high fever caused by sunstroke, according to the information reaching here.
An agriculture coolie, Sangaiah (60), of Biknoor village in Yellareddi mandal also died with similar symptoms. With this the number of persons died due to heat wave in this summer increased to five in the district.
Meanwhile, the day temperature continues to be at 47 degree Celsius.
Khammam Staff Reporter adds: Khammam and many parts in the district sizzled under blistering heat wave conditions on Saturday with mercury crossing 48 degree Celsius. Several trade unions in Kothagudem region demanded a paid holiday for coal miners of the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) considering the searing heat wave conditions prevailing in the OCPs.
Meanwhile, the unrelenting heat wave prevailing across the district claimed six more lives on Saturday. Bhadramma, 65, of Garla succumbed to sunstroke, which she suffered two days ago. Gaguloth Veerya, 67, of Raghunadhapalem and another tribal person of Jagya Tanda under V. Venkatayapalem gram panchayat died of sunstroke on Saturday, sources said.
A three member committee comprising the revenue and police officials would look into the sunstroke related deaths and finalise the names of sunstroke victims for provision of ex-gratia under the ‘Apadhbandhu’ scheme, said Vinay Krishna Reddy, Revenue Divisional Officer, Khammam.
Karimnagar Special Correspondent adds: In the meantime, the heat waves continued its intensity even on Saturday with the temperature reaching 47 degree Celsius. People were forced to remain indoors as the roads turned into oven due to the blistering heat waves.
In order to protect the electric transformers from being burnt due to the heat waves, the electricity authorities have also installed the coolers to provide cool air to the transformers in Karimangar on Saturday. Similarly, the Karimnagar municipal authorities were also taking measures to keep the electric motor pump sets cool at the filter bed to ensure proper supply of drinking water to the residents.
