Extreme weather events claimed 233 lives in India between January and April: Report
New Delhi, Jun 9: Extreme weather events claimed 233 lives and damaged 0.95 million hectare of cropland in the country in the first four months of this year, according to a report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).
Such events impacted 32 states and Union territories this time as against 27 last year.
Rajasthan and Maharashtra reported the maximum number of extreme weather days (30 each), followed by Himachal Pradesh (28) and Bihar and Madhya Pradesh (27).
Delhi reported extreme weather on 12 days as against 25 during the period last year.
Between January and April 2022, extreme weather events claimed 86 lives and damaged 0.03 million hectare of cropland, according to the report.
Lightning and storms occurred on 58 days this time as compared to 35 days during the corresponding period in 2022. Most of these events occurred in March and April.
The country recorded just 15 heatwave days in the first four months of 2023 as compared to 40 days last year.
Meteorologists attribute fewer heatwave days to frequent western disturbances -- weather systems that originate in the Mediterranean region and bring unseasonal rainfall to northwest India -- during March and April.
India experienced extreme weather events on 314 of the 365 days in 2022. The events claimed 3,026 lives and damaged 1.96 million hectares (ha) crop area.
Extreme weather, climate and water-related events caused 573 disasters in India between 1970 and 2021 that claimed 1,38,377 lives, according to data from the World Meteorological Department, a specialised agency of the United Nations.
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Road crash in UP leaves 10 dead
Lakhimpur Kheri (UP) (PTI): Ten people were killed when a van collided head-on with a truck on the Sisaiya-Lakhimpur national highway on Monday, police said.
The van was going to Sisaiya from Lakhimpur when the accident took place between Unchgaon and Bharehta villages.
Circle Officer of Dhaurahra, Shamsher Bahadur Singh, said all nine passengers travelling in the van and the driver were killed.
District Magistrate of Lakhimpur Kheri Anjani Kumar Singh told reporters that the van collided with a truck coming from the opposite direction, leading to nine casualties on the spot, while one succumbed to injuries at the district hospital.
Circle Officer, Dhaurahra, Shamsher Bahadur Singh told PTI, "Efforts are on to establish the identity of other deceased persons."
The seven of the deceased have been identified as Jaideep Singh (25), Pawan (23), Sohan (21), Ram Goyal (42), Sahajram (35), Pappu (18), all residents of Bahraich district and Adnan Khan (15), a resident of Lakhimpur Kheri district, police said.
Condoling the loss of lives in the accident, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in a post on X, said, "The loss of life in the unfortunate road accident in Lakhimpur Kheri district is deeply distressing and heart-wrenching. My condolences are with the bereaved families."
"I have directed the local administration to provide prompt and adequate assistance to the injured and the victims. I pray to Lord Shri Ram to grant the departed souls a place at His divine feet and to bestow a speedy recovery upon the injured," Adityanath said on X.
Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak too condoled the loss of lives in the accident.
"The loss of lives resulting from the road accident in Lakhimpur Kheri district is deeply tragic and heart-wrenching. My deepest condolences go out to the bereaved families," Maurya said.
