India among 10 most affected nations due to extreme weather events: Climate Risk Index

Major flooding events such as the 1993 northern India floods and the Uttarakhand floods of 2013 have contributed to the country’s vulnerability. (Courtesy: Reuters photo)

India has been ranked sixth in the list of nations most affected by extreme weather events (long-term assessment from 1993 to 2022). According to the Climate Risk Index 2025, which analysed six key indicators, India reported a loss of 80,000 lives and nearly $180 billion in economic damages from 400 extreme weather events during the period.

Globally, over 7,65,000 people lost their lives due to more than 9,400 extreme weather events in the 30 years until 2022. There have been economic damages of $4.2 trillion. These findings are part of the report released by the environmental think tank Germanwatch on Wednesday.

As per the report, storms (35%), heatwaves (30%), and floods (27%) were the leading causes of fatalities during this period.

The Climate Risk Index of India, however, has improved with the country being placed at 49th globally (2022), as against seventh worst-affected due to extreme weather events in 2019.

In the long-term assessment from 1993 to 2022, the country remains among the top 10 most affected nations.

Despite the common perception that developing nations bear the brunt of climate risks, seven of the ten most affected countries in 2022 belonged to the high-income category.

Among the worst-affected countries globally between 1993 and 2022 are Dominica, China, Honduras, Myanmar, and Italy. Meanwhile, within the European Union, Italy, Spain, and Greece have been among the most impacted nations over the past three decades.

The report says that while wealthier nations have stronger coping mechanisms, they must enhance climate risk management to mitigate increasing threats.

The release of this report follows the World Economic Forum's recent ranking of extreme weather events, amplified by climate change, as the second most considerable global risk after armed conflict and war.

For India, the report underscores the impact of recurring natural disasters, including major floods in 1993, 1998, and 2013, as well as severe heat waves in 2002, 2003, and 2015.

It highlights the country's high absolute fatalities and economic losses, along with the significant number of people affected. Notable disasters in India include the 1998 Gujarat and 1999 Odisha cyclones, along with Cyclones Hudhud in 2014 and Amphan in 2020.

Major flooding events such as the 1993 northern India floods, the Uttarakhand floods of 2013, and severe floods in 2019 have also contributed to the country’s vulnerability.

The report also points to the increasing intensity of heatwaves, with extreme temperatures reaching around 50 degrees Celsius in 1998, 2002, 2003, and 2015, leading to a high number of casualties.