Impact of Extreme Weather Events in Relation to Heat and Cold Waves over India in Recent Years

Abstract

Fatalities reported during the last decade due to extreme weather events compiled by World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) showed India as one of the five worst affected countries in the world. As per WMO, each of the past several decades has been significantly warmer than the previous one. The period 2011-2015 was the hottest on record, and the year 2015 with an extra boost from powerful El-Nino was the hottest since 1800s. There have been several events of heat waves across the globe. The extreme temperature events such as heat waves and cold waves can cause enormous losses of standing crops, live stock and fisheries. These events are also associated with various health impacts on human beings such as heat stroke and ailments of lungs etc. In view of the above, to find the impact of heat and cold waves over India, incidences of natural hazards reports and annual climate summary prepared by India Meteorological Department for the period 1981-2015 have been used in the study. Casualties due to heat and cold waves over India have also been discussed. Only those cases have been included in this study, which caused human fatalities and significant economic losses. Statistical techniques have also been used to find the trend in casualty of heat and cold waves over India. It is observed that heat wave/cold waves have caused significant social impact and economic losses. Heat wave of 2016 caused over 500 deaths from central and peninsular part of the country during April and May. Of these, over 300 deaths were reported from Telangana alone. Some places in West Rajasthan viz. Phalodi & Churu recorded high temperatures of 51° C and 50^°C respectively on 19th May. February 2017 has been found as the warmest February in the past 100 years.