Visakhapatnam: Andhra Pradesh is reeling under an unprecedented heatwave, with temperatures soaring to record highs across the state.
AP State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) has issued a detailed advisory urging citizens to remain cautious, as the severe heat is expected to persist until Monday.
APSDMA managing director Prakhar Jain asked citizens to minimise health risks by avoiding all travel between 11:00 a.m. and 4 p.m., the hottest hours of the day till Monday.
On Thursday, Piduguralla in Palnadu district recorded a scorching temperature of 48.1°C, the highest in the state.
Temperatures above 45°C have been reported from 18 districts, while 200 mandals across 20 districts experienced temperatures exceeding 44°C. The heat is particularly intense in Palnadu, Prakasam, Krishna, Eluru, Bapatla, NTR, Guntur, and Markapuram districts, where dozens of mandals are facing extreme conditions.
For Friday, the APSDMA has forecast that severe heatwave conditions will prevail in 15 mandals, with heatwave conditions affecting 219 mandals. Temperatures are expected to range between 45°C and 47°C in districts including Alluri Sitarama Raju, Polavaram, Konaseema, East and West Godavari, Eluru, Krishna, NTR, Guntur, Bapatla, Palnadu, Markapuram, and Prakasam.
Kakinada and Nellore may reach highs of 43°C to 45°C. At the same time, districts, such as Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli, Kurnool, Nandyal, Anantapur, Sri Sathya Sai, YSR Kadapa, Annamayya, Chittoor, and Tirupati, are likely to experience temperatures between 40°C and 43°C.
Similar conditions are expected to continue on May 23, with slight variations in temperature ranges.
Thursday’s readings highlighted the severity of the heatwave, with Vetapalem in Bapatla and Nandivada in Krishna reaching 47.6°C; Thorragudipadu in NTR and Addanki in Prakasam recorded 47.4°C; and Allipalli in Eluru reached 47.3°C.
Several other towns across Nellore, Polavaram, Guntur, East and West Godavari, Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli, Konaseema, Tirupati, Kakinada, and Vizianagaram also reported temperatures above 45°C.
Despite the extreme heat, the APSDMA forecast that under the influence of a surface circulation system, sporadic light rains accompanied by lightning may occur in parts of ASR, Polavaram, Nellore, and Rayalaseema.
While these showers may provide brief relief, officials caution that the overall heat intensity will remain high.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
