Extreme climatic events have appeared significantly over the years in the face of rapidly changing climate parameters, which sometimes appear to be a reason for accidental human deaths. In the above context, the present study explores the trend and patterns of accidental deaths associated with extreme climatic events in India. The data on deaths were gathered from the data on the number of accidental deaths by natural causes provided by the Government of India from 2001 to 2012. The study applies different descriptive statistics, and the death rate was computed. Further, quartile division is estimated to identify hotspot region regarding climate-induced deaths in the country. The data shows that a significant number of people died due to extreme climatic phenomena such as cold and exposure, cyclone/tornado, floods, heat stroke, lightning, and torrential rains, with a major proportion due to lightning (41.83%). However, the spatial pattern of accidental deaths for climate events is not homogenously distributed; the concern regarding such significant deaths throughout the country is undeniable. Although the highest number of deaths was found in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Bihar, a high severity of death rate was found in Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Punjab. Indeed, the burden of climate event-induced deaths was highest in the central-eastern part of the country. Extensive and proper strategies are highly inevitable in fighting against rapid climate change and minimising the irreversible loss of human deaths due to such emerging extreme climatic events.

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Climate-Induced Mortality in India: Regional Disparities and Emerging Hotspots

  • Uttam Das

摘要

Extreme climatic events have appeared significantly over the years in the face of rapidly changing climate parameters, which sometimes appear to be a reason for accidental human deaths. In the above context, the present study explores the trend and patterns of accidental deaths associated with extreme climatic events in India. The data on deaths were gathered from the data on the number of accidental deaths by natural causes provided by the Government of India from 2001 to 2012. The study applies different descriptive statistics, and the death rate was computed. Further, quartile division is estimated to identify hotspot region regarding climate-induced deaths in the country. The data shows that a significant number of people died due to extreme climatic phenomena such as cold and exposure, cyclone/tornado, floods, heat stroke, lightning, and torrential rains, with a major proportion due to lightning (41.83%). However, the spatial pattern of accidental deaths for climate events is not homogenously distributed; the concern regarding such significant deaths throughout the country is undeniable. Although the highest number of deaths was found in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Bihar, a high severity of death rate was found in Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Punjab. Indeed, the burden of climate event-induced deaths was highest in the central-eastern part of the country. Extensive and proper strategies are highly inevitable in fighting against rapid climate change and minimising the irreversible loss of human deaths due to such emerging extreme climatic events.