The toll due to the severe heat wave battering Andhra Pradesh for the last 16 days has jumped to 795 on Saturday, with 158 persons succumbing over the last 24 hours.

State Relief Commissioner D C Rosaiah told rediff.com, "The situation continues to be grim with the weather office renewing the severe heat wave warning for the next 48 hours."

Nalgonda accounted for the highest number of 158 deaths followed by Guntur (114), West Godavari (106), East Godavari (103), Prakasam (98), Krishna (44), Karimnagar (41) and Nellore (31). Another 12 districts reported fatalities ranging between one to 20.

Vijayawada recorded the day's highest temperature of 47.2 degrees Celsius, with the mercury touching 46 to 47 degrees in several other coastal and Telangana towns.