Assessing Indian climatic conditions in 2024

India faced extreme weather events on 93% of days in the first nine months of this year, marked by heat and cold waves, cyclones, lightning, heavy rain, floods, and landslides. These alarming statistics, and much more, are according to the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Down to Earth’s (DTE) annual state of extreme weather report.

The annual ‘Climate India 2024’ report highlights that extreme weather events have been steadily on the rise in India. It states that these events claimed 3238 lives, affected 3.2 million hectares (mha) of crops, destroyed 235,862 houses, and killed approximately 9457 livestock, as per a DTE press release. Compared to this, the first nine months of 2023 recorded extreme weather on 235 of 273 days, with 2923 deaths, 1.84 mha of crops affected, 80,293 houses damaged, and 92,519 animal deaths.

The DTE data analysts, who have compiled this report, point out, “it is very likely that even these reported damages are an underestimation due to incomplete data collection on event-specific losses, particularly on public property and crop damages”.

The year 2024 also set several climate records, as per the report. January was India’s ninth driest since 1901. In February, the country recorded its second-highest minimum temperature in 123 years. May saw the fourth-highest mean temperature on record, and the months of July, August and September all registered their highest minimum temperatures since 1901.In the Northwest, January was the second driest, and July recorded the region’s second-highest minimum temperature. The Southern Peninsula saw its hottest February ever, followed by exceptionally hot and dry March and April, but with a 36.5% surplus in July rainfall and the second-highest minimum temperature in August.

Speaking at the launch of the report, CSE director general and DTE editor Sunita Narain said, as per the press release, “These record-breaking statistics reflect climate change’s impact, where events that used to occur once every century are now happening every five years or even less. This frequency is overwhelming the most vulnerable populations, who lack the resources to adapt to this relentless cycle of loss and damage.”

The report finds that in terms of event types, the past nine months have seen everything from lightning and storms – spanning 32 states and resulting in 1021 deaths – to relentless monsoon rains, which led to flooding across various regions. In Assam alone, heavy rains, floods and landslides were recorded on 122 days, leaving large parts of the state submerged and communities devastated. Nationwide, 1376 lives were lost due to floods. Madhya Pradesh experienced extreme weather on 176 days – the most in the country. Kerala recorded the highest fatalities at 550, followed by Madhya Pradesh (353) and Assam (256). 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 (25,170 ha). Regionally, 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 (1001), followed by the Southern Peninsula (762 deaths), East and Northeast (741 deaths) and Northwest (734 deaths).

The CSE researchers also point out that the report highlights 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 emphasizes 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. As Narain adds, “This trend is no longer hypothetical — it is visible in the escalating crises 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.”