Hyderabad, June 02: The unprecedented heat wave sweeping Andhra Pradesh has so far claimed 1020 lives with people in most of the towns and cities of the state remaining indoors to escape blistering heat. The chronic drought-hit district of Nalgonda in Telangana region accounted for highest number of 192 deaths followed by east Godavari 152, Guntur 138, Warangal 130 and Prakasam 98, official sources said today. The State Relief Commissioner V C Rosaiah said the government had already issued precautionary directives to the collectors and arranged ex-gratia amount of Rs 10,000 to each of the victims of sun-strokes.
People in most cities and towns, particularly coastal parts of the state where the mercury levels hovered around 43.5 to 47 degress celsius, remained indoors.

The heat wave would continue for another two-days, the met office said and warned of severe heat conditions in Ramagundam and Kothagudem towns in Adilabad and Khammam district respectively with temperature touching 45 and 47 degrees.
The state capital, facing severe scarcity of drinking water since last few days because of successive monsoon failure, continued to reel under scorching heat with temperature touching 43.2 degree celsius. Bureau Report