Cold wave claims 7 lives

KARIMNAGAR/ADILABAD/ VISAKHAPATNAM: Four aged persons died due to cold wave in different districts of Telangana and three in Visakhapatnam. According to reports, Cheruku Bagaiah (70), a native of Vemulawada suffering from asthma, died in the small hours of Tuesday.One Chikkudu Gattaiah (60) of Regadimaddikunta in Sultanabad mandal also died due to cold wave on Tuesday.However, revenue officials have not confirmed about the two deaths.In Visakhapatnam, A Bodamma (55) of Vanthalapadu village, GP Demudu (68) of Balaram village andApplaraju (60) of Kummaraveedhi village died on Monday night.On Monday, the cold weather claimed six lives in Karimnagar district.In the last three days, people were found to be preferring to stay indoors due to the biting cold.According to Ramagundam metrological department, Karimnagar recorded 10.1 degrees on Tuesday.In Adilabad district, C Lakshmakka (75) and Medari Rajalingam (80), both belonging to Mamadapally in Dandapally mandal, fell victims to the severe cold wave on Tuesday morning.The entire district has been experiencing severe cold weather for the last one week.Many people have been cancelling their journeys and shops were being opened only at 10 a.m.and closing before 6.30 p.m.State Warms Up AgainHYDERABAD: Even as severe cold wave conditions continued to hamper normal life across the state, the temperatures rose slightly by one to two degrees Celsius providing much-needed relief to people of the state.The lowest minimum temperature recorded by Met officials was 9.7 degrees Celsius at Medak, followed by Anantapur and Ramagundam with 10 degrees.Hyderabad recorded 11 degrees Celsius.According to officials, severe cold wave conditions prevailed in the districts of Anantapur, Kadapa, Guntur, Adilabad, Warangal, Medak, Rangareddy, Nalgonda and Karimnagar on Tuesday.The temperature was significantly below normal at many places.Though cold wave conditions will continue to prevail in the districts of Warangal, Karimnagar, Nalgonda, Hyderabad, and Anantapur in the next 24 hours, it is likely to abate thereafter.Met officials predict that the situation is likely to improve over the next two days and temperatures will return to normal.