Extreme weather claimed 175 lives in AP in 2024: NCRB

Visakhapatnam: Extreme weather events claimed 175 lives in Andhra Pradesh in 2024—the warmest year on record in India. Lightning accounted for the highest number of deaths, followed by floods and heatwaves.According to the NCRB’s Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India 2024 report, the state recorded 187 deaths due to forces of nature in 2024, marking a 21% increase from 154 deaths in 2023.Of the 15 categories of natural causes, four alone accounted for all fatalities in Andhra Pradesh: lightning (74 deaths), floods (51), heatstroke (50) and landslides (12).The state experienced 27 heatwave days in 2024—the highest in south India. April recorded 16 heatwave days, while May saw 11. Extreme heat claimed 50 lives across the state. Kadapa (46.2°C), Kurnool (45.9°C on May 3) and Anantapur (44.7°C on April 29) recorded some of the highest temperatures.Heavy rainfall in August and September triggered flash floods in the Budameru rivulet, paralysing life in more than half of Vijayawada in NTR district. Over seven lakh people were affected, and more than 40 lost their lives.NCRB data shows lightning deaths declined from 99 in 2023 to 74 in 2024. Despite year-to-year variations, lightning remains the biggest killer, with farmers and agricultural workers the most vulnerable.Meteorologists attribute the rise in lightning strikes to higher moisture levels, rising air currents, and increasing temperatures, leading to more thunderstorms, especially during the pre-monsoon season.