HYDERABAD/VIJAYAWADA: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday predicted a slightly delayed monsoon, with rains set to lash the Telugu states by June 8-10 after reaching Kerala on June 4, delaying relief from heatwaves currently throttling Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
The maximum temperature in Telangana on Tuesday was 45.2°C, recorded at Suryapet, followed by Nalgonda (45.1°C) and Karimnagar (44.9°C), according to the TS Development & Planning Society report.
Hyderabad, meanwhile, recorded a maximum temperature of 41.2°C, at Khairatabad, followed by 40.8°C at Serlingampally and 40°C at Himayatnagar.
The minimum temperatures in Telangana also remained high, with Khammam clocking 30°C, Bhadrachalam and Nizamabad each clocking 28°C, and Mahbubnagar clocking 27.6°C.
Andhra Pradesh also experienced severe heat, especially in coastal areas, with heatwave to severe heatwave conditions likely to prevail for another two days, according to IMD.
On Tuesday, Dowleswaram in the East Godavari district recorded the highest temperature, at 46.8°C, followed by Maddipadu (46.7°C) in Prakasam district and Kothuru (46.5°C) in Srikakulam district.
As many as 13 mandals registered temperatures above 46°C, while 39 mandals recorded temperatures between 45°C and 46°C, and 255 mandals recorded temperatures between 42°C and 44°C.
Mahesh Palawat, vice president of meteorology and climate change, Skymet Weather, told Deccan Chronicle: “In Telangana, dry weather will prevail and temperatures are expected to be on higher side as winds continue to be north-westerlies, with no relief from heat for at least a week. Coastal Andhra will experience heatwave conditions for the next two to three days as winds travelling from Bay of Bengal have stopped and hot belt drivers will persist in that region.”
For Telangana, the IMD issued an orange alert for Adilabad, Komaram Bheem Asifabad, Nagarkurnool, Mancherial, Peddapalle, Karimnagar, Jagtial, Nizamabad, Rajanna Sircilla, Jangaon, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Nalgonda, Warangal, Mahbubabad and Khammam, with temperatures to remain in the 41-45°C range for the next two days.
Other districts will have a temperature of 38-40°C, it said.
Meanwhile, a steep rise in day temperatures in Andhra Pradesh has led to forest fires over the past few days, especially in coastal Andhra, with around 41 instances of forest fires being recorded daily in the forests of Rampachodavaram and Srikakulam.
Fire officials also said that number of fire calls has gone up over the past few days, due to a spike in temperature causing fire mishaps.
In AP, the IMD predicted severe heatwave conditions for 20 mandals over the next two days. They include two mandals each in Anakapalli and Guntur districts, three mandals each in NTR and Palnadu districts, one mandal in the Kakinada district and nine mandals in the YSR Kadapa district.
Besides, areas in districts of NTR, Guntur, Bapatla, Palnadu, Prakasam Nellore, Tirupati are expected to register temperatures of 44-45°C, while parts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Parvathipuram Manyam, Alluri Sitaramaraju, Kakinada, East Godavari, Eluru, Krishna, Kurnool, Nandyala, Anantapur, Sri Satyasai, YSR Kadapa, Annamayya and Chittoor are expected to record temperatures in the 40-43°C over the next three days.
