New Delhi: A total of 1,750 people died in India in weather events in 2021, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD)’s annual climate report released on Friday.
Thunderstorms and lightning claimed 787 lives. Rainfall and floods killed another 759. A total of 172 people were killed in cyclonic storms and 32 in extreme weather events like cold wave, duststorm, hailstorm and snowfall.
Thunderstorms and lightning claimed 213 lives in Odisha followed by Madhya Pradesh (156), Bihar (89), Maharashtra (76), West Bengal (58), Jharkhand (54), Uttar Pradesh (49) and Rajasthan (48).
2021 saw five tropical cyclones. Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm Tauktae (May 14-19), Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Yaas (May 23-28), Severe Cyclonic Storm Shaheen (Sept 29-Oct 4), Cyclonic Storm Gulab (Sept 24-28) and Cyclonic Storm Jawad (Dec 2-6).
Yaas, Gulab and Jawad formed over the Bay of Bengal; Tauktae and Shaheen over the Arabian Sea. Tauktae claimed 144 lives; Yaas claimed nine lives in Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Bihar; Gulab claimed 19 lives in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha and Maharashtra.
