UN Report: Extreme weather events caused nearly 600 disasters in India

According to a report published by the United Nations agency, nearly 600 disasters in India over the past five decades were caused by extreme weather events, resulting in the loss of 138,377 lives. The World Meteorological Department (WMO) report also revealed that such events led to the death of two million people globally and caused economic damages amounting to $4.3 trillion during the same period.

The report highlighted that more than 90 percent of reported deaths occurred in developing countries. Between 1970 and 2021, Asia accounted for almost half of all reported deaths worldwide, with India experiencing 573 disasters that claimed the lives of 138,377 people. Tropical cyclones were identified as the leading cause of reported deaths in the continent, with cyclone Nargis in 2008 resulting in 138,366 fatalities.

Bangladesh reported the highest number of casualties in Asia across 281 disasters. WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas emphasized that vulnerable communities bear the brunt of weather-related hazards, citing the recent severe cyclonic storm Mocha, which caused widespread devastation in Myanmar and Bangladesh, affecting the most impoverished populations.

Indian researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar, have also warned about the increasing frequency of extreme weather events in the country due to climate change. Meteorologists have highlighted the impact of climate change on atmospheric instability, leading to more thunderstorms, lightning, and heavy rainfall. Additionally, global warming has intensified cyclonic storms in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.

These findings were presented during the World Meteorological Congress in Geneva, where discussions focused on enhancing early warning systems to reach all populations. The “United Nations Early Warnings for All initiative” aims to provide early warning services to everyone globally by the end of 2027.

The report emphasized the importance of early warnings in saving lives, noting that 22,608 disaster deaths were recorded worldwide in 2020 and 2021 combined, and highlighting the role of early warning systems in reducing catastrophic mortality rates.