India faced extreme weather events on 93% of days in 9 months of 2024: Report

India faced extreme weather events reflecting climate change impact on 93% of the days—255 out of 274—in the first nine months of this year marked by heat and cold waves, cyclones, lightning, heavy rain, floods, and landslides that claimed 3,238 lives, affected 3.2 million-hectare (mha) of crops, destroyed 235,862 houses and buildings besides killing approximately 9,457 livestock, a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) report released on Friday said.
The report titled “Climate India 2024: An Assessment of Extreme Weather Events” based on the India Meteorological Department (IMD) data has come days ahead of the 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference or Conference of the Parties (COP29) in Azerbaijan’s Baku from November 11 to 22.
Extreme weather events were recorded on 235 of 273 days during the first nine months of 2023 that left 2,923 people and 92,519 animals dead besides affecting 1.84 mha of crops and damaging 80,293 houses.
CSE director general Sunita Narain said the record-breaking statistics of 2024 reflect climate change’s impact. She added events that occurred once every century are now happening every five 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,” said Narain at the report launch.
January 2024 was India’s ninth driest month since 1901. The second-highest minimum temperature was recorded in February in 123 years. The fourth-highest mean temperature on record was recorded in May. The highest minimum temperatures since 1901 were recorded in July, August, and September.
In Assam, heavy rains, floods, and landslides were recorded on 122 days, leaving large parts of the state submerged and communities devastated. As many as 1,376 lives were lost due to floods nationwide.
Madhya Pradesh faced extreme weather on 176 of 274 days, the highest in the country. Kerala recorded the highest fatalities (550), followed by Madhya Pradesh (353) and Assam (256). Most houses were damaged in Andhra Pradesh (85,806). Maharashtra faced extreme events on 142 days and accounted for over 60% of the affected crop area nationwide followed by Madhya Pradesh.
The report said Central India faced the highest frequency of extreme events with 218 days, followed closely by the Northwest at 213 days. “In terms of lives lost, the Central region had the highest deaths (1,001), followed by the Southern Peninsula (762 deaths), East and Northeast (741 deaths) and Northwest (734 deaths),” the report said.
Rajit Sengupta, who co-authored the report, said heatwaves claimed 210 lives but the data does not reflect the extended health impacts of prolonged high temperatures on the well-being 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.” Sengupta underlined without this support, farmers are pushed into debt, exacerbating their marginalisation and poverty.