Hyderabad Stories published this report on 11 October 2026 as part of a review of May 2026. It was drafted with AI assistance from the reports listed at the end, each read in full; quotations are as those reports printed them.
Late May 2026 brought one of the deadliest heatwaves Telangana has recorded. Media reports compiled by Siasat put the death toll across the state at more than 150 over four days:
- Thursday, 21 May: 22 deaths
- Friday, 22 May: 34 deaths
- Saturday, 23 May: 51 deaths
- Sunday, 24 May: 61 deaths — the highest single-day toll
The erstwhile Warangal district was worst hit, with 26 deaths on the Sunday alone; Mahabubabad, Mulugu, Hanamkonda, Khammam and Karimnagar also reported deaths. These are media-reported counts, not an official total: a statement from Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy's office on 23 May put the toll at that point at 16 deaths across seven districts.
The minister chaired an emergency review at the Secretariat and announced compensation of Rs 4 lakh for the family of each victim. The India Meteorological Department warned that "intense heatwave conditions are likely to persist across several districts for at least another week."
Sources
- Telangana's relentless heatwave toll passes 150 in just four days — Siasat, 25 May 2026
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