Andhra's Piduguralla scorches at 48.1°C as Telugu states reel under heatwave
Synopsis
Piduguralla in Andhra Pradesh's Palnadu district hit 48.1°C on Thursday — one of the highest readings in the region this season — as 19 Telangana districts and 18 Andhra Pradesh districts simultaneously crossed dangerous temperature thresholds. With no relief forecast until 25 May, authorities have issued travel advisories, and the scale of the event points to a deepening pre-monsoon heat crisis across peninsular India.
Key Takeaways
Piduguralla , Palnadu district, Andhra Pradesh recorded 48.1°C on 21 May — the highest temperature in the Telugu states.
Dilawarpur , Nirmal district, Telangana hit 46.5°C on the same day.
19 Telangana districts recorded 46°C and above ; 18 Andhra Pradesh districts exceeded 45°C .
APSDMA Managing Director Prakhar Jain advised people to avoid travel between 11 am and 4 pm until 25 May .
IMD forecast severe heatwave conditions across multiple Telangana districts on 22 May .
Temperatures between 45°C and 47°C expected in 13 Andhra Pradesh districts on Friday.
Piduguralla in Andhra Pradesh's Palnadu district recorded a blistering 48.1 degrees Celsius on Thursday, 21 May, making it the hottest spot in the Telugu states as a severe heatwave tightened its grip across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. In Telangana, Dilawarpur in Nirmal district sizzled at 46.5 degrees Celsius on the same day, underscoring the scale of the crisis.
Scale of the Heatwave
The heat emergency is widespread and deeply penetrating both states. In Telangana, as many as 19 districts recorded peak temperatures of 46 degrees Celsius and above. In Andhra Pradesh, the maximum temperature surpassed 45 degrees Celsius across 18 districts. Across the state's 28 districts, temperatures exceeding 44 degrees Celsius were recorded in 200 mandals spread over 20 districts, according to Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) Managing Director Prakhar Jain.
Jain specifically highlighted the severity in Palnadu district (26 mandals), Prakasam (23 mandals), Krishna (22 mandals), Eluru (21 mandals), Bapatla (20 mandals), NTR (15 mandals), Guntur (14 mandals), and Markapuram (11 mandals).
Telangana Temperature Records
Beyond Dilawarpur's 46.5°C peak, multiple Telangana locations reported near-record readings. Dharmasagar in Hanumakonda district, Choppadandi in Karimnagar district, and Odela in Peddapalli district each recorded 46.4 degrees Celsius. Locations including Endapalli in Jagtial, Jangaon, Penuballi in Khammam, Asifabad in Kumaram Bheem, Kotapally in Mancherial, and Balkonda in Nizamabad all hit 46.3 degrees Celsius.
Forecast and Official Advisories
Authorities warned that the severe heat is likely to persist until at least Monday, 25 May. APSDMA's Jain advised residents to postpone travel between 11 am and 4 pm during this period. On Friday, 22 May, severe heatwave conditions were forecast for 15 mandals, with general heatwave conditions expected across 219 mandals in Andhra Pradesh.
Temperatures between 45°C and 47°C were forecast for parts of Alluri Sitarama Raju, Polavaram, Konaseema, East Godavari, West Godavari, Eluru, Krishna, NTR, Guntur, Bapatla, Palnadu, Markapuram, and Prakasam districts. Moderate heat between 43°C and 45°C was expected in Kakinada and Nellore, while temperatures between 40°C and 43°C were projected for Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Parvathipuram Manyam, Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli, Kurnool, Nandyal, Anantapur, Sri Sathya Sai, YSR Kadapa, Annamayya, Chittoor, and Tirupati districts.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) flagged heatwave conditions for isolated pockets in Komuram Bheem Asifabad, Mancherial, Karimnagar, Peddapalli, Jayashankar Bhupalpally, Mulugu, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Khammam, Nalgonda, Suryapet, and Nagarkurnool districts of Telangana on Friday.
What Comes Next
With no significant relief expected before 25 May, health authorities in both states have urged the public to stay indoors during peak afternoon hours, stay hydrated, and remain vigilant for signs of heatstroke. This heatwave is part of a broader pattern of escalating pre-monsoon heat extremes across peninsular India in recent years, raising urgent questions about long-term climate resilience and emergency preparedness at the district level.
Point of View
Landscape-scale heat event, not a localised anomaly. What is missing from official advisories is any granular data on heat-related illness or mortality, which historically lags the temperature data by days. The Telugu states have faced deadly heatwaves before; the real accountability question is whether district-level health infrastructure — oral rehydration centres, cooling shelters, ambulance response — has been scaled to match the now-routine severity of these events.
NationPress
6 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the highest temperature recorded in Andhra Pradesh during this heatwave?
The highest temperature recorded in Andhra Pradesh is 48.1 degrees Celsius, logged at Piduguralla in Palnadu district on 21 May. According to APSDMA Managing Director Prakhar Jain, temperatures exceeded 45°C across 18 of the state's 28 districts on the same day.
Which areas of Telangana are worst affected by the heatwave?
Dilawarpur in Nirmal district recorded Telangana's highest temperature of 46.5°C. Nineteen districts in the state recorded 46°C and above, with IMD flagging severe heatwave conditions for Komuram Bheem Asifabad, Mancherial, Karimnagar, Peddapalli, and several other districts on 22 May.
How long will the heatwave last in the Telugu states?
Authorities have warned that severe heat conditions are likely to persist until at least Monday, 25 May. APSDMA has advised residents to avoid travel between 11 am and 4 pm throughout this period.
What precautions have authorities advised during the heatwave?
APSDMA Managing Director Prakhar Jain advised the public to postpone outdoor travel between 11 am and 4 pm until 25 May. Authorities have also urged people to stay hydrated and remain vigilant for heatstroke symptoms.
Which Andhra Pradesh districts face the highest heat risk on 22 May?
On 22 May, temperatures between 45°C and 47°C are forecast for parts of Alluri Sitarama Raju, Polavaram, Konaseema, East Godavari, West Godavari, Eluru, Krishna, NTR, Guntur, Bapatla, Palnadu, Markapuram, and Prakasam districts. Severe heatwave conditions are expected in 15 mandals, with general heatwave alerts across 219 mandals.
