NEW DELHI - At least 70 people have died due to intense heat wave in the southern Indian state of Telangana in the past few days, a senior government official said Thursday.

"So far, nearly 70 people have died due to heat stroke in the state. The highest number of deaths has been reported from Mahabubnagar district where the death toll is 28," he said.

Most of those who died were laborers and agricultural workers whose job involved working under the sun, the official added.

The Indian weather department has ruled out any respite from the sweltering heat in the coming days and local government officials have asked people not to venture out in the scorching sun.

In 2015, more than 500 people died due to sunstroke in Telangana and the neighboring state of Andhra Pradesh.