At least 500 are dead after an extreme heatwave has reached India. Some temperatures in India have reached 118 degrees Fahrenheit, BBC reports.

Most of the deaths have occurred in the country's southern states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. In these two states, more than 140 people have died since Saturday.

Authorities in India have urged people to stay indoors and drink lots of fluids.

The heatwave is not new in the two worst-affected states, with temperatures being high since mid-April. However, most of the deaths have happened in the past week.

Andhra Pradesh has been the hardest hit state. About 246 people died in the last week from the soaring temperatures. State officials said that 62 people died of sun stroke on Sunday.

Residents in Nalgonda, in India's newly formed state of Telangana, are usually prepared for these high temperatures during summer months.

One businessman, Ravinder Reddy, said that he has been inside his home for an entire week.

"Two of my employees are in hospital due to heat strokes," he told the BBC.

"The majority of the victims are people who have been exposed to the sun directly, usually aged 50 and above and from the working classes," news agency AFP quoted P Tulsi Rani, special commissioner of Andhra Pradesh's disaster management department, as saying.

The northwestern state of Rajasthan have also recorded several deaths from the heat, the PTI reported. One woman died after collapsing on a roadside in Bundi city.

The heat is expected to continue for at least a few more days, weather reports say.

There is "no relief" expected in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Delhi and other northern states for the next four days, and the "heatwave will continue," an official said.

Weather officials say the extreme heatwave has been occurring because of the lack of rain.

Time reports that most of the victims are old and were working in the extreme conditions.