Hyderabad: The mercury will hit 40ºC in a week, the IMD cautioned on Friday. The maximum temperature in the city on Friday was 35.8ºC. In the state, the maximum temperature could rise to 42ºC.
The highest temperature recorded for the month was 41.3ºC in March 23, 2010. The temperature could reach 47ºC for some days in April and May. The mercury would stay at 45ºC for many days in the next two months, IMD-Hyderabad director Y.K Reddy.
The National Disaster Management Authority had said last week it would draw up an action plan to prevent heatwave deaths.
Heatwave toll plunged in 2016
The National Disaster Management Authority had said last week that heat-related deaths were brought down in 2016 as compared to 2015, by sending an action plan to the states. This included making drinking water easily available, discouraging non-essential travel during peak heat hours and equipping all health units with oral rehydration therapy units to quickly revive and stabilise people who are affected by heat. An estimated 22,000 people died due to heath-related incidents from 1992 to 2015.
There were 2,400 deaths in 2015 and 1,100 in 2016. There is a demand to treat heatwave deaths as a national calamity, and provide compensation to victims.
SUMMER THREAT
Extreme events during the last 10 years in Telangana in March, upto 2016
Mahabubnagar: 44.7ºC, March 22, 2012
Bhadrachalam: 42.8ºC, March 18, 2016
Nizamabad: 42.6ºC, March 23, 2010
Khammam: 42.2ºC, March 23, 2016
Nalgonda: 42ºC, March 23, 2016
Ramagundam: 42ºC, March 23, 2010
Hanamakonda: 41.5ºC, March 23, 2016
Medak: 41.5ºC, March 26, 2016
Hyderabad: 41.3ºC, March 23, 2010
Adilabad: 40.6ºC, March 20 and 24, 2011
