As per the latest data provided by the Home Ministry, nearly 6,800 people lost their lives in the country over the past three years due to hydro meteorological calamities
Context
As per the latest data provided by the Home Ministry, nearly 6,800 people lost their lives in the country over the past three years due to hydro meteorological calamities.
What are meteorological calamities?
- Meteorological calamities include calamities such as flash floods, landslides and cyclones and West Bengal has recorded the highest deaths among all States.
Climate-related disasters in India
- Floods account for more than half of climate-related disasters in India.
- The country had 278 floods from 1980 to 2017 affecting more than 750 million people.
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Key-highlights of the data
- India recorded 6,808 deaths-
- 2,400 in 2018-19
- 2,422 in 2019-20
- 1,986 in 2020-21
- West Bengal recorded 964 deaths (383 in 2018-19, 227 in 2019-20 and 354 in 2020-21), which amounts to 14% of deaths due to hydro meteorological calamities.
Tropical cyclones in West Bengal
- Fani (May 2019)
- Bulbul (November 2019)
- Amphan (May 2020)
- Yaas (May 2021)
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- Madhya Pradesh recorded 833 deaths, followed by Kerala 708 in the same period. In both the States, the spike in the casualties has been caused by floods.
Area prone to such incidents
- During the monsoon period (April-October mainly; in Western Ghat terrains from April to December, including the phase of the northeast monsoon), incidents occur in almost all landslide-prone areas, some of which are disastrous, leading to loss of lives.
