Extreme weather killed over 3,200 people in India in first 9 months of 2024, says report

NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 8: Extreme weather events claimed over 3,200 lives and destroyed over 2.3 lakh houses in India in the first 9 months of 2024, according to a new report.

The report by the Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said India faced extreme weather events on 93% of the days in the year’s first 9 months ~ 255 out of 274 days.

The report said extreme weather events claimed 3,238 lives, affected 3.2 million hectares (mha) of crops, destroyed 2,35,862 houses and buildings, and killed 9,457 livestock.

In comparison, the first 9 months of 2023 recorded extreme weather on 235 of 273 days, with 2,923 deaths, 1.84 mha of crops affected, 80,293 houses damaged, and 92,519 animal deaths.

It is very likely that even these reported damages are an underestimation due to incomplete data collection on event-specific losses, particularly on public property and crop damages, data analysts who compiled the report pointed out.

Madhya Pradesh experienced extreme weather on 176 days ~ the most in the country. Kerala recorded the highest fatalities at 550, followed by Madhya Pradesh (353) and Assam (256). Andhra Pradesh had the most houses damaged (85,806), while Maharashtra, which saw extreme events on 142 days, accounted for over 60% of the affected crop area nationwide, followed by Madhya Pradesh (25,170 ha).

Twenty-seven States and Union Territories saw a rise in extreme weather days in 2024, with Karnataka, Kerala and Uttar Pradesh each experiencing 40 or more additional days of such events.

The year 2024 also set several climate records. January was India’s 9th driest since 1901. In February, the country recorded its 2nd-highest minimum temperature in 123 years. May saw the 4th-highest mean temperature on record, and July, August and September all registered their highest minimum temperatures since 1901.

In the northwest, January was the 2nd driest, and July recorded the region’s 2nd-highest minimum temperature. The southern peninsula experienced its hottest February on record, followed by exceptionally hot and dry March and April, but with a 36.5% surplus in July rainfall and the 2nd-highest minimum temperature in August.

CSE Director General Sunita Narain said the record-breaking statistics reflect the impact of climate change, where events that used to occur once every century are now happening every 5 years or even less. “This frequency is overwhelming the most vulnerable populations, who lack the resources to adapt to this relentless cycle of loss and damage”, she said.

According to the report, 1,376 people died due to floods, while lightning and storms claimed 1,021 lives.

Rajit Sengupta, one of the authors, said: “While heatwaves claimed 210 lives, the data does not reflect the extended health impacts of prolonged high temperatures on the wellbeing of people in north India, including farmers and labourers, who endured intense heat with little means of relief.

Similarly, the toll of severe cold snaps and frost on crop losses is not captured, highlighting the need for robust compensation systems for weather-induced losses. Without this support, farmers are pushed into debt, exacerbating their marginalisation and poverty, he said.

(PTI)