Over 3,200 people lost their lives. More than 9,400 livestock were killed, 3.2 million hectares of crops were damaged, and 2.3 lakh homes and buildings were destroyed as a result of severe weather events that struck India on 255 of the 274 days in the first nine months of this year.

These concerning figures are included in the most recent India Climate Report 2024, which was virtually released on November 8 by the Center for Science and Environment and its biweekly Down to Earth magazine.
Compared to the previous two years, when CSE and DTE have been publishing the India Climate Reports, which detail the number of extreme weather events based on data including daily reports released by the India Meteorological Department, India saw the most extreme weather events this year. For example, according to the India Climate Report 2023, during the first nine months of 2023, there were 235 out of 273 days with extreme weather events; 2,923 people died as a result of the events, which also caused damage to 1.84 million hectares of croplands. Accordingly, the 2024 India Climate Report observed that the frequency and effects of extreme weather events are growing annually.

Monitoring severe weather conditions

The world's climate is changing in many places as a result of greenhouse gases released by the burning of fossil fuels. It is much hotter than it used to be in many places, and it rains more heavily than usual in many others. These climate extremes, also known as extreme weather events, are frequently characterized by significant effects on both people and the environment. Extreme weather events are those that are uncommon at a specific location and time of year, according to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).


Extreme weather events are also common in India. These include heat waves and heavy rains. Lightning, thunderstorms, heavy to very heavy rainfall, landslides, and floods are all categorized by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).