New Delhi: The sweltering heat wave continued to claim lives, with the death toll climbing to 1512 across the country on Thursday, most of them in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
The death toll in Andhra Pradesh stood at 1,020 while it was 440 in Telangana.
The Met department warned of continuance of the heat wave conditions for the next two days.
Heat wave conditions also prevailed in several other states like Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
"As per information available till 7 pm today, the toll has risen to 440," said a senior official of the Telangana disaster management department in Hyderabad. Yesterday, the figure stood at 340.
Since April 15, Nalgonda district has witnessed 126 deaths, followed by Karimnagar (95), Khammam (82) and Mahabubnagar (37).
The heat has also claimed 35 lives in Medak district, 22 in Adilabad, 17 in Nizamabad, 12 in Warangal and seven each in Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts.
According to Indian Meteorological Department, severe heat wave conditions prevailed today over many parts of Adilabad, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Warangal, Khammam, Mahabubnagar and Nalgonda districts, and would continue for the next two days.
In Andhra Pradesh, Prakasam district has recorded the highest number of deaths at 202. Guntur district saw death of 130 people followed by Visakhapatnam (112), Vizianagaram (78) and Nellore 74.
The toll in other districts was East Godavari-90, West Godavari 10, Krishna 49, Chittore 29, Kadapa 22, Kurnool 17, Anantapur 14, Srikaukulam 25.
Delhi saw the maximum temperature of 41.1 degrees celsius, which was a notch above the normal.
Yesterday, the day temperature had settled at 41.8 degrees celsius while the minimum temperature was recorded at 24.8 degrees celsius.
However, MeT department has predicted clear skies for tomorrow.
Heat wave conditions also continued to sweep swathes of Haryana and Punjab with maximum temperatures today again hovering between 41-44 degrees celsius at most places, giving no respite to people.
Hisar in Haryana was the hottest at 43.8 degree C, up two notches above normal while Bhiwani also sizzled at 42.6 degrees celsius.
Ambala recorded a maximum temperature of 41.5 degree C, up one notch above normal.
Chandigarh braved yet another hot day as the maximum temperature settled at 41.6 degree celsius, up three notches above normal, the MeT Department report said here.
In Punjab, Ludhiana recorded 41.8 degreed celsius, Amritsar 41.4 degrees celsius and Patiala 41.4 degrees celsius.
The plains of Uttar Pradesh also continued to reel under severe heat with day temperature appreciably above normal in Allahabad, Kanpur, Jhansi divisions, Varanasi, Moradabad, Agra divisions and normal in the remaining divisions across the state.
Allahabad recorded the highest maximum temperature at 45.8 degree Celsius, the MeT office said.
