The Hindu : No let-up in heat wave

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, May 31, 2003

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National

No let-up in heat wave

New Delhi May 30. The country sweltered under yet another day of unabated heat with the death toll crossing 600 today.

The toll has risen to 636 during the last fortnight, even as the weather office here forecast that the severe heatwave conditions would prevail over parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh during the next 48 hours.

Andhra Pradesh has recorded 600 deaths, Bengal 15, U.P. 11, Bihar eight and Tamil Nadu two.

The Nalgonda district accounted for 119 deaths, followed by East Godavari 103, Prakasam 98, West Godavari 73, Guntur 46, Krishna 44, Karimnagar 41, Nellore 30, Warangal 16, Khammam 14, Chittoor 12, Kurnool 8, Adilabad 6, Mahabubnagar, Ranga Reddy and Hyderbad 5 each, Srikakulam and Visakhapatnam 4 each, Nizamabad 3, Cuddapah 1, according to the Andhra Pradesh Relief Commisioner, D. C. Rosaiah.

A report from Vijayawada said the mercury soared to 48 degrees Celsius today.

In Chennai, day temperatures touched the 97-year-old high of 45 degree Celsius, as dry westerly winds continued to sweep northern Tamil Nadu. Meteorological Department officials said the city last experienced a maximum of 45 degree Celsius on May 21, 1910. The searing heatwave conditions, which had intensified with the onset of Sirius the "Dog Star" in the first week of May, had claimed two lives so far. — UNI

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