The Telangana government has advanced summer holidays for schools in view of a severe heat wave in the state.

With the maximum temperature rising to 44 degrees Celsius at some places, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao directed the education department to declare holidays from Wednesday in private and government schools.

Rao felt that it was better not to send children to schools as the weather conditions were severe, said a statement from his office.

The education department had earlier announced summer holidays from April 24 till June 11.

The meteorological department has issued a heat wave alert for the state for April 18-19. The maximum temperature in most parts was four to five degrees above normal.

Adilabad was the hottest place on Tuesday with the maximum temperature at 44.5 degrees Celsius. Mahabubnagar recorded 44 degrees.

In Hyderabad, mercury soared to 42.2 degree Celsius.