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Extreme weather conditions claimed 66 lives in TG so far this year

Telangana has faced a punishing year of extreme weather so far, with deadly rains, scorching heat waves, and severe storms, which together claimed 66 lives, damaged 73,418 hectares of agricultural land and caused extensive infrastructure damage. The state endured 50 days of extreme weather, reflecting India’s broader climate crisis as documented in the “Climate India 2024: An Assessment of Extreme Weather Events” report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).

No relief from smog, Gurgaon’s AQI stays ‘poor’ for third day on trot

Gurgaon: Smog continued to choke the city in the morning as air quality stayed in the ‘poor' category for the third consecutive day on Sunday, with no signs of improvement. The air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 260, up from the previous day's 252. At 285, Gwalpahari recorded the highest air quality, followed by Vikas Sadan at 236 and Teri Gram at 208. On Sunday, smog or shallow fog is likely during morning hours and mist is expected at night. The air quality will remain in the "very poor" category for the next six days. As a result of the persistent pollution, city residents, especially the elderly, children, and those with pre-existing health conditions, are experiencing respiratory issues, eye irritation, and other health problems. "Urgent action is required to prevent severe smog episodes in the coming days. We need to reduce traffic volume, eliminate waste burning and dirty industrial fuels, and implement stringent dust control measures, especially in the construction sector," said Shubhansh Tiwari, research associate at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). On Sunday, both PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations substantially exceeded permissible limits owing to local pollutants, including vehicular emissions and dust. The air monitoring station at Gwal Pahari recorded the highest PM2.5 level at 312 µg/m³, followed by Vikas Sadan (307 µg/m³) and Teri Gram (278 µg/m³), according to CPCB data. PM10 levels peaked at Gwal Pahari (309 µg/m³), followed by Teri Gram (301 µg/m³). Vikas Sadan station failed to record PM10 levels. Meanwhile, doctors said they were witnessing many more cases of respiratory issues in the recent days. "Every winter, the national capital and its surrounding areas are blanketed in toxic smog which is made worse by bursting firecrackers during festivities. Post-harvest stubble burning ahead of winter sowing aggravates the situation. These factors cause a surge in respiratory illnesses, and people also experience burning eyes, heart ailments, sore throats, skin allergies, among other health problems," said Dr Kuldeep Kumar Grover, head of critical care and pulmonology, CK Birla Hospital, Gurgaon.

Report sounds climate alert: Once a century events now happening in less than 5 years

Some or other part of India faced some form of extreme weather event during 93 per cent of the days in the first nine months of this year, a report released by an environment organisation on Friday revealed. Experts attributed the trend — much worse compared with previous years — to global climate change. “In 2024, India faced extreme weather events on 93 per cent of the days in the year’s first nine months — 255 out of 274 days — marked by heat and cold waves, cyclones, lightning, heavy rain, floods and landslides,” the report, titled “Climate India 2024: An assessment of extreme weather events”, says. Madhya Pradesh experienced extreme weather on 176 days, the highest in the country, says the report, published by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). Kerala recorded the highest fatalities at 550, followed by Madhya Pradesh at 353 and Assam at 256. Andhra Pradesh saw the highest number of houses damaged (85,806) while Maharashtra, which witnessed extreme events on 142 days, accounted for over 60 per cent of the affected crop area nationwide. Bengal lost crops across 2 lakh hectares of land to disasters. “These record-breaking statistics reflect the impact of climate change, where events that used to occur once every century are now happening every five years or even less,” CSE director-general Sunita Narain said, launching the report. “This frequency is overwhelming the most vulnerable populations, who lack the resources to adapt to this relentless cycle of loss and damage.” Narain underlined the importance of having an appropriate global deal on nations’ financial commitments to combat climate change during the Baku climate summit, which begins on Monday. “This report is a warning, and a call for urgent action that is required to mitigate climate change. Without combating climate change at a meaningful scale, today’s challenges will only worsen tomorrow,” she said. A recent UN report, “Adaptation gap report 2024”, too emphasised that climate impacts are intensifying and urged nations to dramatically increase their fund commitments to counter the trend. The CSE report said the extreme weather events during the first nine months of this year had “claimed 3,238 lives, affected 3.2 million hectares (mha) of crops, destroyed 235,862 houses and buildings” in India. In comparison, the first nine months of 2023 recorded extreme weather on 235 of 273 days (86 per cent) with 2,923 deaths, 1.84 mha of crops affected, and 80,293 houses damaged. The actual situation may be even worse, CSE experts associated with the study said. “It is very likely that even these reported damages are an underestimation because of incomplete data collection on event-specific losses, particularly relating to public property and crop damage,” one of them said. The report said that 2024 had already sounded several climate warnings, January being India’s ninth driest since 1901, February recording the country’s second-highest minimum temperature in the last 123 years, and May witnessing the fourth-highest mean temperature on record. July, August and September registered their highest minimum temperatures since 1901. The report shows that while monsoon rain caused 1,021 deaths across 32 states nationwide, floods killed 1,376 people. “While heat waves claimed 210 lives, the data does not reflect the extended health impacts of prolonged high temperatures on the well-being of people,” said Rajit Sengupta, an expert associated with the study. “Twenty-seven states and Union Territories saw a rise in extreme weather days in 2024, with Karnataka, Kerala and Uttar Pradesh each experiencing 40 or more additional days of such events,” said Kiran Pandey, CSE programme director.

How inequality in adapting to climate change is affecting farmers’ food stores

What you need to know: Smallholder farmers are less equipped in adapting to hostile climate shocks, aggravating the food insecurity situation. Marrieta Mwikali is preparing her half-acre land for the next planting season ahead of the anticipated short rains season. The Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) expected the onset of the short rains season to occur between the fourth week of October and the first week of November. Ms Mwikali relies on such weather forecasts as rainfall is her only water source for farming even though it is not reliable in her Kaani village, Machakos County, one of the Arid and Semi-Arid Land regions in the country. She says that due to changes in weather patterns, agriculture has become unproductive, making it hard for her to grow enough food to feed her family. “Sometimes you can be all set with manure and seeds kept for the planting season, but the rains fail. You end up being disappointed,” says Ms Mwikali. Requirement Water is an essential requirement for farming. It is no wonder various United Nations bodies convening in Glasgow, Scotland in October 2021 appealed to countries to make water an integral part of the fight against climate change. A report on the global impacts of heat and water stress on food production published in June this year in the journal Scientific Reports shows that these two factors can lead to a six-14 per cent decline in food production by 2050. The uncertainties of relying on rainwater for agriculture are evidenced in the troubles that Ms Mwikali and other small-scale farmers in Machakos, who cannot afford irrigation, go through. For six years, the mother of two has been practising mixed farming of maize, beans and cowpeas, which require adequate rainfall for growth. When the Climate Action team visited Ms Mwikali last week, she was tending to withering crops on her farm under the scorching sun. She said she has been a victim of climate change. “After floods, the rainfall reduced, leading to lower agricultural yields. Even water harvesting has become a challenge because I harvested a little for my vegetables now that I don’t have enough water storage containers.” Ms Mwikali noted that things were better a few years ago, when she would harvest enough to feed her family, but not anymore. Her farm yields have significantly reduced over the past three years. For example, in April this year, she says she harvested only two bags of maize, one and a half bags of beans, and a bucket of cowpeas, which cannot sustain her family until the next harvest. “In the future, we will struggle more as farmers because of the short rains and floods. What I have in store now can sustain me for only two months,” Ms Mwikali expressed her food insecurity worries. According to scientists, legumes take roughly between 70-85 days to mature, which is almost three months. Maize, on the other hand, matures between three and four months depending on the different agroecological zones. Based on this maturity duration, Ms Mwikali, whose two children are currently in Form Four and Grade Six, is afraid that her food store will run empty, and she will be forced to depend on relief food for survival. “Farm food helps me a lot because when I have enough harvest, I don’t struggle with bills such as school fees, but when I don’t have food, my life turns upside down,” she told Climate Action. According to recent data from CARE, a leading humanitarian organisation fighting global poverty, women like Ms Mwikali are more concerned about climate change than men, and they are also more food-insecure. The analysis also demonstrates that despite being the most affected by climate change, women are consistently under-represented in disaster preparation, and they are far less likely than men to be asked about their needs. Emily Janoch, CARE’s associate vice-president of Design and Thought Leadership, highlighted the importance of preparing for extreme weather events and thinking about long-term recovery and resilience, especially for women. “People who have faced extreme weather events face food crisis for up to five years. That means we need better preparedness that includes women, and we need to think about long-term resilience and recovery,” he said. Contrary to Ms Mwikali’s farm, a few kilometres away, Climate Action is welcomed by cool breeze from a bamboo plantation at Peter Nzioka’s three-and-a-half-acre farm. Bamboo grass is known for purifying air and acting as a carbon sync. The grass also conserves and purifies water, enabling the soil to retain moisture that supports the growth of crops. While Mr Nzioka is also waiting for rain for the next planting season, he is less worried about food shortage, thanks to his experience in a food forest type of farming that allows him to have enough food year in, year out. Mr Nzioka consumes fresh food from his farm. “Food forest means diversity. I grow so many varieties, which are thriving together, so that at any given time, I have enough food to eat and it is not a must that I have seasonal crops,” explained Mr Nzioka. Walking on his farm in Kaani, mangoes in the flowering stage, cabbages in the tender stage, and kales that are almost ready for consumption catch our attention. He also has cassava and sweet potatoes. “I am still preparing my land for the rains like any other farmer, but I have some crops that are already thriving on the farm. I normally have crops in different stages of growth every month,” he said. His food forest farming gets a boost from Kiusyi, a seasonal river that borders his farm, which helps him to stop solely relying on rain-fed farming. The bamboos on his farm also come in handy. In arid and drought-prone areas, bamboos are valued for their ability to conserve water and soil moisture by reducing the evaporation rate. “Bamboo helps me to conserve water because they obscure direct sun, thus minimising the evaporation rate.” He also cuts down on the cost of farming as he uses manure from his poultry and goats. He also owns a seed bank from his previous harvests. “I use indigenous seeds because I can get the varieties I want anytime as opposed to going to the agro vet, where I don’t know the ecological zones of the seed varieties. Organic seeds are also locally adapted to the weather here,” explained Mr Nzioka. A State of Africa’s Environment 2024 report on water insecurity in Africa shows that African nations are water-insecure. Speaking in Nairobi in September during the launch of the report, Sunita Narain, director-general at Centre for Science and Environment, used an Indian slogan: “Catch water where it falls,” to emphasise the need to be innovative in matters water harvesting. “Hard water crisis is about our inability to build an affordable system of water management. Inclusivity and equity are critical for any water system to work; and we are talking about groundwater systems, increasing poverty because of water stress, and how heat stress will add to our water demand,” said Narain. According to the World Water Development Report released by the United Nations on March 22, 2020, global food production patterns would be fundamentally altered by climate change, causing food insecurity because of small shifts in seasonality and water availability. The report further highlighted that an increase in food prices would increase rural poverty. It is based on reports like these that Ms Mwikali and other women in Machakos and other parts of the country are worried about the future of farming now that they can’t afford any farming technologies.

India sees surge in extreme weather events, 93% days in 1st nine months of 2024 affected—CSE report

India has experienced an unprecedented surge in incidence of extreme weather this year, with 255 out of 274 days—over 90 percent—marked by such events in the first nine months alone, a report from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has said. This is the highest number of extreme weather days recorded in the past three years. The report, published Friday, analysed extreme weather events, human and livestock fatalities, and crop damage across 36 states and Union Territories (excluding Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu) from January 1 to September 30 of this year. Seven of the nine months in 2024 saw extreme weather events every day—a record-breaking pattern that extended beyond the typical monsoon months, and into January and April. These events, including heat and cold waves, cyclones, lightning, heavy rain, floods, and landslides, resulted in 3,238 fatalities, affected 3.2 million hectares of crops, destroyed over 2,35,000 houses, and led to the loss of around 9,457 livestock, according to the CSE report. “Extreme weather, once rare, has become a frequent reality across India due to climate change, with all regions—Northwest, East and Northeast, South, and Central—experiencing a significant rise in severe events,” said Rajit Sengupta, associate editor, Down To Earth, and co-author of the report. “Our nationwide analysis reveals that no part of the country is immune to these impacts.”

Extreme weather events caused over 3,000 deaths in India this year: Report

Over 3,000 persons died and more than 2,00,000 homes were destroyed due to extreme weather events in India during the first nine months of 2024, a report released by the non-profit organisation Centre for Science and Environment said on Friday. The report, titled “Climate India 2024: An Assessment of Extreme Weather Events”, said that India faced extreme weather events on 93% of days, or 255 out of 274, in the first nine months of the year. In comparison, the country faced such events on 86% of the days, or 235 out of 273, in the same period last year.

Deaths, Destruction on the Rise Due to Extreme Weather Events: Grim Statistics in India Climate Report 2024

More than 3,200 people dead. As much as 3.2 million hectares of crops damaged, around 2.3 lakh houses and buildings destroyed, and more than 9,400 livestock dead: all due to extreme weather events that occurred on 255 of the 274 days of the first nine months of this year across India. These are some of the alarming statistics published in the latest India Climate Report 2024, launched virtually on November 8 by the Centre for Science and Environment and its fortnightly publication, Down to Earth. This year, India witnessed the highest number of extreme weather events, when compared to the past two years during which CSE and DTE have been publishing the India Climate Reports, which detail the number of such events based on data including daily reports released by the India Meteorological Department. For instance, the India Climate Report 2023 reported extreme weather events on 235 of the 273 days in the first nine months of 2023; 2,923 people died that year, and the events damaged croplands spanning 1.84 million hectares. Hence, the frequency and impacts of extreme weather events are increasing with every year, the 2024 India Climate Report noted. Tracking extreme weather events As greenhouse gases emitted due to the use of fossil fuels warm up the world, climate is changing in many regions. Many places are far hotter than they used to be; many others witness more heavy rainfall than usual. These climate extremes are often marked by severe impacts on people and the environment, and are called extreme weather events. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) defines extreme weather events as those that are rare at a particular place and time of year. India too witnesses its share of extreme weather events. These range from intense rainfall to heatwaves. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) classifies lightning and thunderstorms, heavy to very heavy, and extremely heavy rainfall, landslides and floods, coldwaves, heatwaves, cyclones, snowfall, dust and sandstorms, squalls, hailstorms and gales as extreme weather events.

India Endured 255 Days of Extreme Weather in 2024; Over 3,200 Lives Lost, Millions of Crops Devastated

India witnessed extreme weather on 93% of the days—255 out of 274—in the first nine months of 2024, resulting in 3,238 fatalities, destruction of over 235,000 buildings, and crop damage across 3.2 million hectares, according to the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). This surge in extreme events, including heat waves, cyclones, and floods, reflects an increase from 2023, where 235 out of 273 days saw such weather, claiming 2,923 lives and affecting 1.84 million hectares of crops. In its annual State of Extreme Weather report, CSE noted that Madhya Pradesh experienced the highest number of extreme weather days at 176, while Kerala recorded the most fatalities with 550 deaths. Andhra Pradesh saw the greatest damage to homes (85,806), and Maharashtra, with 142 days of extreme weather, accounted for over 60% of the nation’s crop damage, followed by Madhya Pradesh. Central India endured the most frequent extreme events, with 218 days, and saw the highest death toll of 1,001, followed by the southern Peninsula with 762 deaths. CSE cautioned that these figures might underestimate the true extent of damage due to incomplete data on public property and crop losses. Additionally, CSE highlighted climate records in 2024, noting that January was the ninth driest since 1901, February marked the second-highest minimum temperature in 123 years, and May saw the fourth-highest mean temperature. July through September also recorded their highest minimum temperatures since 1901. “This crisis is a glaring reminder of nature’s backlash,” said CSE Director General Sunita Narain. “Addressing climate change is imperative, or today’s challenges will only deepen tomorrow.

Crop damage on 2 lakh+ hectares in West Bengal between January & September

KOLKATA: Bengal faced extreme weather events on 86% days in the first nine months of 2024 - or nearly 236 days out of the 274 days between Jan 1 and Sept 30, causing 64 deaths and crop damage across 2,00,900 hectares, according to the annual 'state of extreme weather report' released by the Centre for Science & Environment (CSE) on Friday. This was three percentage points more than the 83% extreme weather days in the same period last year, a result of the intensifying effects of climate change. Extreme weather on 86% days The crop damage caused by the extreme weather events - heatwaves, cyclones, lightning, heavy rain, floods and landslides - in Bengal was India's fourth highest, after Maharashtra, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh. India, as a whole, saw extreme weather on 93% - or 255 - days, in which over 3,238 people were killed. Sunita Narain, the director-general of CSE, said these "record-breaking statistics" reflected the impact of climate change. "Events that used to occur once every century are now happening every five years or even less," she said. "This frequency is overwhelming the most vulnerable populations, the ones who lack the resources to adapt to this relentless cycle of loss and damage." Experts call for change in approach Richard Mahapatra, the report's research director, said the CSE report revealed not only the frequency of extreme weather events but also the cumulative and far-reaching damage they cause. Rajit Sengupta of CSE, one of the writers of this report, said: "While heatwaves claimed 210 lives, the data does not reflect the extended health impacts of prolonged high temperatures on the wellbeing of people in north India, including farmers and labourers, who endured intense heat with little means of relief. Similarly, the toll of severe cold snaps and frost on crop losses is not captured, highlighting the need for robust compensation systems for weather-induced losses. Without this support, farmers are pushed into debt, exacerbating their marginalisation and poverty." CSE researchers pointed out that the report highlighted a critical shift that is needed in our approach to extreme events - from disaster response to risk reduction and resilience-building. Flood management, for example, requires more than plans on paper; it calls for the strategic development of drainage and water recharge systems, along with expanded green spaces and forests to act as natural water reservoirs in preparation for future storms. The report also emphasises the need for climate reparations from high-emission countries responsible for much of the damage. Climate models are clear: extreme weather events are set to become more frequent and severe.

Tamil Nadu sees surge in extreme weather events in 2024: report

Chennai, Tamil Nadu, in October 2024. File photo | Photo Credit: Akhila Easwaran Tamil Nadu has experienced a significant rise in extreme weather events in 2024, with 67 extreme weather days recorded so far, nearly double the 27 days reported in 2023. This sharp increase is highlighted in the Climate India 2024 report, published by the Centre for Science and Environment and Down to Earth. In Tamil Nadu, the impact has been severe, with rising temperatures, heavy rainfall, and cyclonic storms causing damage to agriculture, infrastructure, and local communities. The State recorded 67 extreme weather event days in 2024, according to the report. It also reported 25 human fatalities, 14 livestock deaths, and the damage of 149 houses due to these extreme weather events. While Tamil Nadu is one of the worst-hit States, neighbouring Kerala and Karnataka have experienced even more frequent and intense weather disruptions. According to the report, India has experienced extreme weather on 255 out of 274 days in the first nine months of 2024, surpassing the number of extreme days recorded in the previous two years. This makes 2024 the most extreme year in terms of weather events over the last three years, with a worrying trend of daily extreme events continuing since 2022. The report is based on data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), which tracks extreme weather events over 24-hour periods. For tracking damage from extreme weather, the IMD relies on media reports and includes details on human fatalities and livestock losses in its monthly summary. Crop loss One of the biggest impacts of these extreme weather events has been on agriculture. In 2024 alone, Tamil Nadu reported 1,039 hectares of crop damage due to irregular rainfall, intense heatwaves, and storm surges. The loss of crops like paddy, sugarcane, and groundnut has further strained the livelihoods of farmers and aggravated food security concerns in the region.

Centre for Science and Environment: Extreme weather on 255/274 days this year

NEW DELHI: India faced extreme weather events on 93% of the days in the first nine months — 255 out of 274 days — in 2024 that claimed 3,238 lives, destroyed over 2.35 lakh houses/buildings and affected crops in 3.2 million hectare (mha) of land, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said on Friday. The number of extreme weather events, including heat and cold waves, cyclones, lightning, heavy rain, floods and landslides, increased in 2024 compared to the first nine months of 2023. The CSE’s data shows that the country recorded extreme weather on 235 of 273 days during the corresponding period last year, claiming 2,923 lives, affecting crops in 1.84 mha of land and damaging 80,293 houses. In its annual ‘state of extreme weather report’, the New Delhi-based think tank noted that Madhya Pradesh experienced extreme weather events on 176 days — the most in the country — whereas Kerala recorded the highest fatalities at 550, followed by Madhya Pradesh (353) and Assam (256) this year. The report shows that Andhra Pradesh had the most houses damaged (85,806), while Maharashtra, which saw extreme events on 142 days, accounted for over 60% of the affected crop area nation-wide, followed by Madhya Pradesh in 2024. “This trend is no longer hypothetical — it is visible in the escalating crisis we face today. This report is not good news, but it is a necessary warning, a call to recognise nature’s backlash and the urgent action required to mitigate it. Without combating climate change at a meaningful scale, today’s challenges will only worsen tomorrow,” said Sunita Narain, director general, CSE. Region-wise data shows that central India faced the highest frequency of extreme events with 218 days, followed closely by the northwest at 213 days. In terms of lives lost, the central region had the most deaths (1,001), followed by the southern Peninsula (762 deaths), east & northeast (741 deaths) and northwest (734 deaths). CSE’s analysts, however, pointed out that the reported damage could be an underestimation due to incomplete data collection on event-specific losses, particularly to public property and crop damage. Referring to other climate records in 2024, the CSE noted that January was India’s ninth driest since 1901 whereas the country recorded its second-highest minimum temperature in February in 123 years. May, on the other hand, saw the fourth-highest mean temperature on record while July, August and September all registered their highest minimum temperatures since 1901.