1.6K died in extreme weather events in ’22, most in floods, landslips: Report

NEW DELHI: According to the annual report of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), India witnessed over 1,600 people killed in 2022 in extreme weather events.

Floods and landslides caused over 700 deaths while lightning caused over 900 deaths were reported in 2022. Globally, the report states that climate change has already caused the displacement of 95 million people and more are getting displaced as the impact of climate change is increasing.

The report “state of the Global Climate 2022”, further states that heatwaves in the 2022 premonsoon season in India and Pakistan caused a decline in crop yields. subsequently, India put a ban on wheat export
which further exacerbated the global food crisis.

The report underlined that the continued increase of heat-trapping greenhouse gases is causing socio-economic upheavals and environmental impacts. It is causing a global food crisis, displacement, floods, heat waves and droughts.

For instance, record-breaking rainfall in Pakistan caused the death of over 1700 people, displaced 8 million people, and affected over 33 million people. It caused a loss of $30 billion.

Record-breaking heatwaves in Europe in 2022 caused the deaths of over 15000 people across Spain, Ger many, the UK, France, and Portugal. Moreover, between the years 2015-2022, there were the eighth warmest on record despite the cooling impact of a La niña event for the past three years.

The melting of glaciers and sea level rise again reached record levels in 2022. Climate change has also
caused serious consequences on the environment. The snow reserve of the Tibet plateau at a higher elevation is expanding, migratory birds' routes and foods are mismatching, and shift in time of blooming of the flowers. It is alarming for the whole planetary system.