AP heat wave toll rises to 1,285

The toll in the heat wave sweeping through Andhra Pradesh rose to 1,285 on Friday, State Relief Department officials said.

Additional Commissioner for Relief  I S Shrinagesh told rediff.com that 50 deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours.

West Godavari district tops with 241 deaths so far, followed by East Godavari 199, Nalgonda 192, Guntur 184 and Prakasam 98.

"There is some improvement in the situation in the state though still the heat wave is persisting in some pockets of south coastal Andhra and Telangana region," Hyderabad Meteorological Centre Director C V V Bhadram said.

He pointed out that severe heat wave conditions continue in Krishna district in south coastal Andhra and in Rangareddy, Warangal and Medak districts in Telangana.

Except for light rain over Vizianagaram district in north coastal part of the state, weather has been dry over the state.

Temperatures fell at a few places in coastal Andhra and one or two places over Telangana and changed little over Rayalaseema. The highest temperature of 47 degrees Celsius was recorded at Vijayawada and Bhadrachalam.

Bhadram said that isolated rains/thunder showers are likely in north coastal districts -- Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam.

Mainly dry weather will prevail over the rest of the state. "Heat wave conditions are likely to continue in some parts of south coastal Andhra and Telangana during the next two days.  Within the next few days, the heat wave conditions are likely to abate," he said.