Telangana heatwave kills 16 across 7 districts; govt gives ₹4 lakh ex gratia
Synopsis
Sixteen people have died in Telangana's ongoing heatwave, with 18 of 33 districts recording temperatures at or above 45°C and Sirpur touching 46.5°C. The state has announced ₹4 lakh compensation per family, but with the IMD warning conditions will worsen over the next three days, the death toll could rise further.
Key Takeaways
16 people have died due to heatwave conditions across 7 districts of Telangana as of 24 May .
The state government announced ₹4 lakh ex gratia for each deceased's family.
Jayashankar Bhupalapalli recorded the highest toll at 4 deaths ; Warangal Urban, Karimnagar, and Nizamabad reported 3 each .
18 of 33 districts recorded temperatures of 45°C or above ; Sirpur hit 46.5°C — the state's highest.
IMD has issued an orange alert for 12 districts and warns heatwave intensity will increase over the next three days .
Officials attribute the extreme heat to a severe El Niño effect pushing temperatures to unprecedented levels.
A severe heatwave has claimed 16 lives across seven districts of Telangana, state officials confirmed on Sunday, 24 May, as temperatures in several parts of north Telangana surged past 45 degrees Celsius. The state government announced an ex gratia of ₹4 lakh for the families of each of the deceased.
District-wise Death Toll
According to district collector reports, Jayashankar Bhupalapalli recorded the highest number of fatalities at four. Warangal Urban, Karimnagar, and Nizamabad each reported three deaths, while Jogulamba Gadwal, Rangareddy, and Suryapet each recorded one death. Officials attributed the intensity of the heat to a severe El Niño effect, which they said is pushing temperatures to unprecedented levels.
What the Government Said
Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy chaired an emergency review meeting with senior officials at the Secretariat on Saturday, going through district-wise heatwave reports and issuing directives to the administrative machinery. He instructed officials to identify the hottest mandals and villages and push advance warnings to residents, and to ensure heatwave awareness reaches the public every hour through media, social media, and village-level announcements. With the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warning that heatwave conditions will intensify over the next three days, Reddy directed district collectors to exercise heightened caution.
Temperature Records and Hotspots
According to the Telangana Development Planning Society, 18 of 33 districts recorded peak temperatures of 45 degrees Celsius or above on Saturday. Sirpur in Kumaram Bheem Asifabad district was the state's hottest point, touching 46.5 degrees Celsius. Dharampuri in Jagtial, Gangadhara in Karimnagar, Kasipet in Mancherial, Yergatla in Nizamabad, and three other locations in Peddapalli, Rajanna Sircilla, and Suryapet districts each recorded 46.4 degrees Celsius.
IMD Alerts in Force
The IMD issued an orange alert on Sunday for Kumaram Bheem Asifabad, Mancherial, Karimnagar, Peddapalli, Jayashankar Bhupalpally, Mulugu, Khammam, Nalgonda, Suryapet, Mahabubabad, Warangal, and Hanumakonda districts. A yellow alert was issued for Adilabad, Kumaram Bheem Asifabad, Mancherial, Warangal, Hanumakonda, Rangareddy, Hyderabad, and Medchal-Malkajgiri districts. The weather department also warned of thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds of 40–50 kmph at isolated places across southern and central Telangana districts including Nalgonda, Rangareddy, and Mahabubnagar.
With heatwave conditions expected to worsen before any relief arrives, authorities are urging residents — particularly in north Telangana — to avoid outdoor exposure during peak afternoon hours and stay hydrated.
Point of View
And India's Deccan plateau more broadly, has failed to break for years. The ₹4 lakh ex gratia is compensatory, not preventive; it signals the state is still responding after fatalities rather than before them. With 18 of 33 districts breaching 45°C and El Niño conditions persisting, the absence of a pre-positioned, district-level heat action plan — with binding targets on cooling centres, water distribution, and outdoor-work restrictions — is the real accountability gap. Revenue Minister Reddy's emergency meeting on Saturday came after deaths were already confirmed, raising the question of whether the early-warning infrastructure is functioning as designed or merely activated in hindsight.
NationPress
11 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people have died in the Telangana heatwave?
As of Sunday, 24 May, the Telangana government has confirmed 16 heatwave deaths across seven districts. The highest toll was recorded in Jayashankar Bhupalapalli district, with four fatalities.
What compensation has the Telangana government announced for heatwave victims?
The state government has announced an ex gratia payment of ₹4 lakh to the family of each person who died due to the heatwave. Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy confirmed the compensation after an emergency review meeting on Saturday.
Which districts in Telangana are under an IMD orange alert?
The IMD issued an orange alert on Sunday for 12 districts: Kumaram Bheem Asifabad, Mancherial, Karimnagar, Peddapalli, Jayashankar Bhupalpally, Mulugu, Khammam, Nalgonda, Suryapet, Mahabubabad, Warangal, and Hanumakonda. The department also warned that heatwave conditions will intensify over the next three days.
What was the highest temperature recorded in Telangana during this heatwave?
Sirpur in Kumaram Bheem Asifabad district recorded the state's highest temperature at 46.5 degrees Celsius. Several other locations, including Dharampuri in Jagtial and Gangadhara in Karimnagar, touched 46.4 degrees Celsius.
What measures has the Telangana government directed to protect residents?
Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy has directed district collectors to identify the hottest mandals and villages, issue advance warnings, and ensure hourly public awareness through media, social media, and village-level announcements. Officials have also been told to remain on high alert given the IMD's forecast of worsening conditions.
