Deaths from extreme weather events in India have increased by 18% over the past three years, according to Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) data in the Lok Sabha. The information underscores the growing impact of climate change on the frequency and intensity of extreme weather in the country.
Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences, addressed the issue, highlighting the government's mitigation and adaptation strategies and the role of enhanced early warning systems. Here are the year-wise and state-wise statistics for the last five years:
State-wise deaths due to disastrous weather events in 2023
State/UT | Snowfall | Cold Wave | Heat Wave | Gale | Lightning | Thunderstorm | Hailstorm | Floods and Heavy Rains | Cyclonic Storm/ Cyclone Related Events | Grand Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Andhra Pradesh | * | * | 3 | * | 55 | * | * | * | 9 | 67 |
Arunachal Pradesh | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | 17 | * | 17 |
Assam | * | * | * | * | 20 | 8 | 1 | 20 | * | 49 |
Bihar | * | * | 12 | * | 250 | * | * | 1 | * | 263 |
Chandigarh | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1 | * | 1 |
Chhattisgarh | * | 1 | 2 | * | 67 | 8 | 2 | 1 | * | 81 |
Dadar and Nagar Haveli | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | 2 | * | 2 |
Delhi | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | 2 | * | 2 |
Goa | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1 | * | 1 |
Gujarat | * | * | * | * | 30 | * | * | 5 | * | 35 |
Haryana | * | * | * | * | 1 | * | * | 7 | * | 8 |
Himachal Pradesh | 2 | * | * | * | 2 | * | * | 123 | * | 127 |
Jammu and Kashmir | 9 | * | * | * | 5 | * | * | 40 | * | 54 |
Jharkhand | * | * | 25 | 4 | 120 | * | * | 11 | * | 160 |
Karnataka | * | * | * | * | 8 | 4 | * | 10 | * | 22 |
Kerala | * | * | * | * | 5 | * | * | 25 | * | 30 |
Ladakh | 2 | * | * | * | * | * | 5 | * | * | 7 |
Madhya Pradesh | * | * | * | * | 167 | 5 | * | 136 | * | 308 |
Maharashtra | * | * | 8 | 7 | 108 | 14 | * | 71 | * | 208 |
Meghalaya | * | * | * | * | * | 5 | * | 13 | * | 18 |
Mizoram | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | 9 | * | 9 |
Odisha | * | * | 45 | 3 | 205 | * | * | 10 | * | 263 |
Punjab | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | 8 | * | 8 |
Rajasthan | * | * | * | * | 39 | 15 | * | 56 | 7 | 117 |
Sikkim | 7 | * | * | * | * | * | * | 106 | * | 113 |
Tamil Nadu | * | * | * | * | 6 | * | * | 10 | 17 | 33 |
Telangana | * | * | * | * | 36 | 1 | * | 41 | 3 | 81 |
Tripura | * | * | * | * | 5 | 2 | * | * | * | 7 |
Uttar Pradesh | * | 4 | 86 | * | 94 | 8 | * | 81 | * | 273 |
Uttarakhand | 1 | * | * | * | 3 | 4 | * | 75 | * | 83 |
West Bengal | * | * | * | * | 33 | * | * | 3 | * | 36 |
Grand Total | 21 | 5 | 181 | 14 | 1259 | 74 | 3 | 890 | 36 | 2483 |
State-wise deaths due to disastrous weather events during 2022
State/UT | Snowfall | Cold Wave | Heat Wave | Squall | Gale | Dust Storm | Lightning | Thunderstorm | Hailstorm | Floods and Heavy Rains | Cyclonic Storm/ Cyclone Related Events | Grand Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Andhra Pradesh | * | * | * | * | * | * | 51 | * | * | 7 | 1 | 59 |
Arunachal Pradesh | 7 | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | 32 | * | 39 |
Assam | * | * | * | * | 1 | * | 25 | 33 | * | 199 | * | 258 |
Bihar | * | * | * | * | * | * | 118 | 297 | * | 3 | * | 418 |
Chhattisgarh | * | * | 1 | * | * | * | 46 | 25 | * | 7 | * | 79 |
Delhi | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | 2 | * | 3 | * | 5 |
Goa | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | 2 | * | 2 |
Gujarat | * | * | * | * | * | * | 7 | * | * | 24 | * | 31 |
Himachal Pradesh | 10 | * | * | * | * | * | 1 | 2 | * | 75 | * | 88 |
Jammu and Kashmir | 3 | * | * | * | 4 | * | 7 | * | * | 43 | * | 57 |
Jharkhand | * | * | 1 | * | 2 | * | 118 | 4 | * | 5 | * | 130 |
Karnataka | * | * | * | * | * | * | 33 | * | * | 34 | * | 67 |
Kerala | * | * | * | * | 2 | * | 9 | 1 | * | 43 | * | 55 |
Ladakh | 1 | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1 |
Madhya Pradesh | * | * | * | * | * | * | 115 | 1 | * | 1 | * | 117 |
Maharashtra | * | 1 | 13 | * | * | * | 81 | 2 | * | 143 | * | 240 |
Manipur | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | 56 | * | 56 |
Meghalaya | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1 | * | * | 15 | * | 16 |
Nagaland | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | 3 | * | 3 |
Odisha | * | * | 12 | * | 2 | * | 168 | * | * | 12 | * | 194 |
Puducherry | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1 | 1 |
Punjab | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | 3 | * | 3 |
Rajasthan | * | * | * | * | * | * | 78 | * | * | 48 | * | 126 |
Sikkim | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1 | * | * | 7 | * | 8 |
Tamil Nadu | * | * | * | * | * | * | 21 | * | * | 3 | 4 | 28 |
Telangana | * | * | * | * | 1 | * | 6 | 12 | * | 26 | * | 45 |
Tripura | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1 | * | * | * | * | 1 |
Uttar Pradesh | * | * | * | * | * | 22 | 302 | 2 | 32 | 231 | * | 589 |
Uttarakhand | 16 | * | * | * | * | * | 1 | * | * | 13 | * | 30 |
West Bengal | * | * | 3 | 1 | * | * | 4 | 5 | * | 8 | * | 21 |
Grand Total | 37 | 1 | 30 | 1 | 12 | 22 | 1194 | 386 | 32 | 1046 | 6 | 2767 |
State-wise deaths due to extreme weather events in 2021
State/UT | Snowfall | Cold Wave | Gale | Dust Storm | Lightning (with Thunderstorm) | Thunderstorm | Hailstorm | Floods and Heavy Rains | Cyclonic Storm/Cyclone Related Events | Grand Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Andaman and Nicobar | * | * | 1 | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1 |
Andhra Pradesh | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | 46 | 6 | 52 |
Assam | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | 14 | * | 14 |
Bihar | * | * | * | * | 73 | 99 | * | 12 | 1 | 185 |
Chhattisgarh | * | * | * | * | 10 | 32 | 3 | * | * | 45 |
Delhi | * | 3 | * | * | * | * | * | 4 | * | 7 |
Goa | * | * | * | * | 1 | * | * | 1 | 3 | 5 |
Gujarat | * | * | * | * | 6 | * | * | 7 | 79 | 92 |
Haryana | * | * | * | * | 1 | * | * | * | * | 1 |
Himachal Pradesh | 12 | * | * | * | * | * | * | 61 | * | 73 |
Jammu and Kashmir | 4 | 2 | * | * | 4 | * | 1 | 21 | * | 32 |
Jharkhand | * | * | * | * | 22 | 35 | * | * | 3 | 60 |
Karnataka | * | * | * | * | 3 | 1 | * | 33 | 8 | 45 |
Kerala | * | * | * | * | 5 | * | * | 53 | 9 | 67 |
Madhya Pradesh | * | 1 | 1 | * | 158 | 2 | * | 34 | * | 196 |
Maharashtra | * | 3 | * | * | 84 | 2 | * | 217 | 56 | 362 |
Odisha | * | * | 3 | * | 213 | * | * | 3 | 4 | 223 |
Puducherry | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1 | * | 1 |
Rajasthan | * | * | * | * | 49 | * | * | 14 | * | 63 |
Sikkim | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | 2 | * | 2 |
Tamil Nadu | * | * | * | * | 15 | * | * | 28 | * | 43 |
Telangana | * | * | * | * | 7 | * | * | 15 | 3 | 25 |
Uttar Pradesh | * | 2 | * | 5 | 43 | 6 | * | 42 | * | 98 |
Uttarakhand | 15 | * | * | * | * | * | * | 138 | * | 153 |
West Bengal | * | * | * | * | 61 | 3 | * | 33 | 2 | 99 |
Grand Total | 31 | 11 | 5 | 5 | 755 | 180 | 4 | 779 | 174 | 1944 |
State-wise deaths due to extreme weather events during 2020
State/UT | Cold Wave | Cyclonic Storm / Cyclone Related Events | Dust Storm | Floods and Heavy Rains | Gale | Heat Wave | Lightning | Squall | Snowfall | Thunderstorm | Grand Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Andhra Pradesh | * | 9 | * | 20 | * | * | 20 | * | * | * | 49 |
Arunachal Pradesh | * | * | * | 12 | * | * | * | * | * | * | 12 |
Assam | * | * | * | 129 | * | * | * | * | * | * | 129 |
Bihar | 54 | * | * | 54 | * | 2 | 98 | * | * | 186 | 394 |
Chhattisgarh | * | * | * | * | * | * | 12 | * | * | 17 | 29 |
Gujarat | * | * | * | 106 | * | * | 9 | * | * | * | 115 |
Haryana | * | * | * | 1 | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1 |
Himachal Pradesh | * | * | * | 38 | * | * | * | * | 4 | * | 42 |
Jammu and Kashmir | * | * | * | 13 | 3 | * | 5 | * | 17 | * | 38 |
Jharkhand | 16 | * | * | 4 | * | * | * | 6 | * | 126 | 152 |
Karnataka | * | * | * | 148 | 1 | * | 15 | * | * | * | 164 |
Kerala | * | * | * | 78 | 6 | 1 | 2 | * | * | 1 | 88 |
Madhya Pradesh | * | * | * | 10 | * | * | 72 | * | * | 7 | 89 |
Maharashtra | * | 6 | * | 59 | * | 6 | 42 | * | * | 1 | 114 |
Meghalaya | * | * | * | 12 | * | * | * | * | * | * | 12 |
Nagaland | * | * | * | 7 | * | * | * | * | * | * | 7 |
New Delhi | * | * | * | 1 | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1 |
Odisha | * | 4 | * | 38 | 3 | 16 | 278 | * | * | * | 339 |
Punjab | * | * | * | 2 | * | * | * | * | * | * | 2 |
Rajasthan | 3 | * | 14 | 18 | * | * | 4 | * | * | * | 39 |
Sikkim | * | * | * | 5 | * | * | * | * | 1 | 1 | 7 |
Tamil Nadu | * | 14 | * | * | * | * | 9 | * | * | * | 23 |
Telangana | * | * | * | 63 | * | * | 6 | * | * | * | 69 |
Uttar Pradesh | 88 | * | * | 24 | * | * | 77 | * | * | 167 | 356 |
Uttarakhand | 1 | * | * | 8 | * | * | * | * | * | * | 9 |
West Bengal | * | 86 | * | 145 | * | * | 3 | * | * | * | 234 |
Grand Total | 162 | 119 | 14 | 995 | 13 | 25 | 652 | 6 | 22 | 506 | 2514 |
State-wise deaths due to extreme weather events during 2019
State/UT | Cold Wave | Cyclonic Storm / Cyclone Related Events | Dust Storm | Floods and Heavy Rains | Gale | Hailstorm | Heat Wave | Lightning | Snowfall | Squall | Thunderstorm | Grand Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Andhra Pradesh | * | * | * | * | * | * | 45 | * | * | * | * | 45 |
Assam | * | * | * | 94 | * | * | * | 15 | * | * | 11 | 120 |
Bihar | 19 | * | * | 306 | * | * | 293 | * | * | * | 72 | 690 |
Chhattisgarh | * | * | * | 4 | * | * | * | 2 | * | * | 16 | 22 |
Goa | * | * | * | 1 | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1 |
Gujarat | * | * | * | 150 | * | * | * | * | * | * | 10 | 160 |
Himachal Pradesh | * | * | * | 26 | * | * | * | * | 8 | * | * | 34 |
Jammu and Kashmir | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | 7 | * | 3 | 10 |
Jharkhand | 13 | * | * | 5 | * | * | 13 | * | 2 | * | 126 | 159 |
Karnataka | * | * | * | 30 | * | * | * | 21 | * | * | 8 | 59 |
Kerala | * | * | * | 75 | 2 | * | 14 | 4 | * | * | * | 95 |
Madhya Pradesh | 12 | * | * | 21 | * | 2 | * | 26 | * | * | * | 61 |
Maharashtra | 7 | * | * | 145 | * | * | 53 | 65 | * | * | 2 | 272 |
Manipur | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | 3 | 3 |
Mizoram | * | * | * | 5 | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | 5 |
Odisha | * | 53 | * | 10 | 1 | * | 9 | 239 | * | 1 | * | 313 |
Punjab | * | * | * | 14 | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | 14 |
Rajasthan | * | * | 25 | 82 | * | * | 3 | 5 | * | * | 15 | 130 |
Sikkim | * | * | * | 1 | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1 |
Tamil Nadu | * | * | * | 20 | 1 | * | * | * | * | * | * | 21 |
Telangana | * | * | * | 10 | 2 | * | 66 | 7 | * | * | * | 85 |
Tripura | * | * | * | 2 | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1 | 3 |
Jammu and Kashmir | * | * | * | 21 | * | * | * | * | 32 | * | * | 53 |
Ladakh | * | * | * | 1 | * | * | * | * | 18 | * | * | 19 |
Uttar Pradesh | 240 | * | * | 18 | * | * | 9 | 26 | * | * | 64 | 357 |
Uttarakhand | * | * | * | 33 | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | 33 |
West Bengal | * | 7 | * | 223 | * | * | * | 5 | * | * | 17 | 252 |
Grand Total | 291 | 60 | 25 | 1297 | 6 | 2 | 505 | 415 | 65 | 3 | 348 | 3017 |
Govt response and actions
To mitigate the impacts of extreme weather events, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has implemented advanced early warning systems and preparedness strategies, such as:
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Issuing colour-coded alerts forecasts.
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Publishing the Climate Hazard & Vulnerability Atlas of India.
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Launching mobile apps like Mausam, Damini (lightning alerts), and Meghdoot (agricultural advisories).
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Conducting preparedness meetings with stakeholders.
The government has emphasized building climate-resilient infrastructure and assessing the long-term effects of climate change on extreme weather through research and reports.
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