On May 26th, the Indian authorities reported that at least 1,000 people have died due to a major heatwave that swept across India with temperatures nearing 50 Degree Celsius.

Most deaths were reported in the worst hit southern states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh where temperatures climbed to 48 Degree Celsius..

Photo: AP

In Telangana state, 266 people have died in the last week as temperatures hit 48 Degree Celsius over the weekend.

Director of Andhra Pradesh's Disaster Management Department, K. Dhananjaya Reddy said 325 people had died of sunstroke or dehydration in the state in the last three days.

"We are advising people not to go to work between 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.," said Reddy. "We have also opened special centers in different urban areas for the distribution of water and buttermilk."

Hundreds of people, mainly from the poorest sections of society, die at the height of summer every year across the country, while tens of thousands suffer power cuts from an overburdened electricity grid.

The government has canceled all doctors leave as hospitals were being flooded with cases of heatstroke and also made a promise that compensation of USD1,575 will be given to families of people who had died.

The weather is likely to cool further when the summer monsoon begins at the end of the month./.

( Compiled by VNF )