The effects of global warming are evident in the country. Many parts of the country have experienced extreme heat, cold and unseasonal rainfall over the past few years. A shocking report is out about the country’s scorching heat, heavy rains and landslides. According to the report, in the first nine months of 2024, more than 3,200 people have lost their lives due to multiple extreme heat and heavy rain events. 2. More than 300,000 homes were destroyed. The shocking report comes from Delhi-based think tank Center for Science and Environment (CSE).
The worst weather lasted 255 days.
India experienced the worst weather events in the first nine months of 2024, i.e. 255 out of 274 days. According to the report, 3,238 people have died as a result of intense heat, heavy rains and landslides. The bad weather has affected crops on 3.2 million hectares (MHA). Heavy rains destroyed 2,35,862 houses and buildings and killed 9,457 livestock.
About 3,000 people were killed last year
By comparison, in the first nine months of 2023, there were 235 out of 273 days with severe weather. There were 2,923 deaths. 1. 84 million hectares of crops affected. One year ago, in 2023, 80,293 homes were damaged. 92,519 animals were killed.
Worst weather in Madhya Pradesh
Analysts submitting the report said Madhya Pradesh experienced 176 days of extreme severe weather in nine months of 2024, the highest in the country. Kerala has recorded the highest death toll due to bad weather at 550. Since then, 353 people have lost their lives in Madhya Pradesh and 256 in Assam.
Most houses damaged in Andhra Pradesh
Most of the houses were damaged in Andhra Pradesh due to heavy rains. The number here is 85,806. Maharashtra recorded 142 days of severe weather. It covers more than 60% of the affected crop area in the country. The number of extreme weather days increased in 27 states and union territories in 2024, the report said. Karnataka, Kerala and Uttar Pradesh have seen such incidents for another 40 days or more.
Severe weather sets records
2024 also sets many climate change records. January was India’s ninth driest month since 1901. In February, the country recorded its second-highest minimum temperature in 123 years. May’s average temperature was the fourth warmest on record. July, August and September all recorded the highest and lowest temperatures since 1901.
Extreme heat only occurs in March and April
January was the second driest month in the country’s northwest. The region recorded the second highest minimum temperature in July. The southern peninsula experienced its warmest February on record. This was followed by unusually hot and heatwave-like weather in March and April. Meanwhile, rainfall increased by 36.5% in July. The second highest and lowest temperatures occur in August.
Floods have killed 1,376 people
Sunita Narayan, director general of CSE, said the record-breaking figures reflected the impact of climate change. Earlier, these events occurred once every century. Now they happen every five years or less. The report said 1,376 people died due to flooding and 1,021 due to lightning and storms. The heat wave killed 210 people.
Input via PTI
india latest news
