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Extreme weather deaths increased by 18% in 3 years: Govt in Lok Sabha

Extreme weather deaths increased by 18% in 3 years: Govt in Lok Sabha
Extreme weather deaths increased by 18% in 3 years: Govt in Lok Sabha

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/UTSnowfallCold WaveHeat WaveGaleLightningThunderstormHailstormFloods and Heavy RainsCyclonic Storm/ Cyclone Related EventsGrand Total
Andhra Pradesh**3*55***967
Arunachal Pradesh*******17*17
Assam****208120*49
Bihar**12*250**1*263
Chandigarh*******1*1
Chhattisgarh*12*67821*81
Dadar and Nagar Haveli*******2*2
Delhi*******2*2
Goa*******1*1
Gujarat****30**5*35
Haryana****1**7*8
Himachal Pradesh2***2**123*127
Jammu and Kashmir9***5**40*54
Jharkhand**254120**11*160
Karnataka****84*10*22
Kerala****5**25*30
Ladakh2*****5**7
Madhya Pradesh****1675*136*308
Maharashtra**8710814*71*208
Meghalaya*****5*13*18
Mizoram*******9*9
Odisha**453205**10*263
Punjab*******8*8
Rajasthan****3915*567117
Sikkim7******106*113
Tamil Nadu****6**101733
Telangana****361*41381
Tripura****52***7
Uttar Pradesh*486*948*81*273
Uttarakhand1***34*75*83
West Bengal****33**3*36
Grand Total215181141259743890362483

State-wise deaths due to disastrous weather events during 2022

State/UTSnowfallCold WaveHeat WaveSquallGaleDust StormLightningThunderstormHailstormFloods and Heavy RainsCyclonic Storm/ Cyclone Related EventsGrand Total
Andhra Pradesh******51**7159
Arunachal Pradesh7********32*39
Assam****1*2533*199*258
Bihar******118297*3*418
Chhattisgarh**1***4625*7*79
Delhi*******2*3*5
Goa*********2*2
Gujarat******7**24*31
Himachal Pradesh10*****12*75*88
Jammu and Kashmir3***4*7**43*57
Jharkhand**1*2*1184*5*130
Karnataka******33**34*67
Kerala****2*91*43*55
Ladakh1**********1
Madhya Pradesh******1151*1*117
Maharashtra*113***812*143*240
Manipur*********56*56
Meghalaya******1**15*16
Nagaland*********3*3
Odisha**12*2*168**12*194
Puducherry**********11
Punjab*********3*3
Rajasthan******78**48*126
Sikkim******1**7*8
Tamil Nadu******21**3428
Telangana****1*612*26*45
Tripura******1****1
Uttar Pradesh*****22302232231*589
Uttarakhand16*****1**13*30
West Bengal**31**45*8*21
Grand Total3713011222119438632104662767

State-wise deaths due to extreme weather events in 2021

State/UTSnowfallCold WaveGaleDust StormLightning (with Thunderstorm)ThunderstormHailstormFloods and Heavy RainsCyclonic Storm/Cyclone Related EventsGrand Total
Andaman and Nicobar**1******1
Andhra Pradesh*******46652
Assam*******14*14
Bihar****7399*121185
Chhattisgarh****10323**45
Delhi*3*****4*7
Goa****1**135
Gujarat****6**77992
Haryana****1****1
Himachal Pradesh12******61*73
Jammu and Kashmir42**4*121*32
Jharkhand****2235**360
Karnataka****31*33845
Kerala****5**53967
Madhya Pradesh*11*1582*34*196
Maharashtra*3**842*21756362
Odisha**3*213**34223
Puducherry*******1*1
Rajasthan****49**14*63
Sikkim*******2*2
Tamil Nadu****15**28*43
Telangana****7**15325
Uttar Pradesh*2*5436*42*98
Uttarakhand15******138*153
West Bengal****613*33299
Grand Total31115575518047791741944

State-wise deaths due to extreme weather events during 2020

State/UTCold WaveCyclonic Storm / Cyclone Related EventsDust StormFloods and Heavy RainsGaleHeat WaveLightningSquallSnowfallThunderstormGrand Total
Andhra Pradesh*9*20**20***49
Arunachal Pradesh***12******12
Assam***129******129
Bihar54**54*298**186394
Chhattisgarh******12**1729
Gujarat***106**9***115
Haryana***1******1
Himachal Pradesh***38****4*42
Jammu and Kashmir***133*5*17*38
Jharkhand16**4***6*126152
Karnataka***1481*15***164
Kerala***78612**188
Madhya Pradesh***10**72**789
Maharashtra*6*59*642**1114
Meghalaya***12******12
Nagaland***7******7
New Delhi***1******1
Odisha*4*38316278***339
Punjab***2******2
Rajasthan3*1418**4***39
Sikkim***5****117
Tamil Nadu*14****9***23
Telangana***63**6***69
Uttar Pradesh88**24**77**167356
Uttarakhand1**8******9
West Bengal*86*145**3***234
Grand Total1621191499513256526225062514

State-wise deaths due to extreme weather events during 2019

State/UTCold WaveCyclonic Storm / Cyclone Related EventsDust StormFloods and Heavy RainsGaleHailstormHeat WaveLightningSnowfallSquallThunderstormGrand Total
Andhra Pradesh******45****45
Assam***94***15**11120
Bihar19**306**293***72690
Chhattisgarh***4***2**1622
Goa***1*******1
Gujarat***150******10160
Himachal Pradesh***26****8**34
Jammu and Kashmir********7*310
Jharkhand13**5**13*2*126159
Karnataka***30***21**859
Kerala***752*144***95
Madhya Pradesh12**21*2*26***61
Maharashtra7**145**5365**2272
Manipur**********33
Mizoram***5*******5
Odisha*53*101*9239*1*313
Punjab***14*******14
Rajasthan**2582**35**15130
Sikkim***1*******1
Tamil Nadu***201******21
Telangana***102*667***85
Tripura***2******13
Jammu and Kashmir***21****32**53
Ladakh***1****18**19
Uttar Pradesh240**18**926**64357
Uttarakhand***33*******33
West Bengal*7*223***5**17252
Grand Total29160251297625054156533483017

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:

  • Issuing colour-coded alerts forecasts.

  • Publishing the Climate Hazard & Vulnerability Atlas of India.

  • Launching mobile apps like Mausam, Damini (lightning alerts), and Meghdoot (agricultural advisories).

  • 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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