Natural forces like lightning, heat killed 6,444 in 2023: NCRB report

Snake bites, animal attacks and insect bites were the other nature or environment related causes that claimed a substantial number of lives. As per the NCRB report, snake bites caused 10,144 deaths, a 0.6 percent increase over the 10,085 deaths recorded in 2022. Meanwhile, 1,739 people were killed by animals and 1,172 due to animal, reptiles (other than snakes) or insect bites, the report noted.

While the overall number of deaths due to ‘forces of nature’ declined by 20 percent compared to 2022 figures, deaths caused by heat stroke and cold exposure have risen by 10 percent, and 1.8 percent, respectively.

Odisha recorded 1,351 deaths, the highest due to ‘forces of nature’, followed by 852 in Uttar Pradesh, 789 in Madhya Pradesh, 679 in Bihar, 401 in Jharkhand and 312 in Maharashtra.

According to the report, Madhya Pradesh (397), Bihar (345), Odisha (294), Uttar Pradesh (287), and Jharkhand (194), accounted for a high share of the lightning deaths. Studies have shown in the past that the plains area of the Indo-Gangetic belt, as well as Madhya Pradesh are prone to thunderstorm and lightning activity. Warm, dry air from north-west converges with moist air from the Bay of Bengal leading to formation of deep convective clouds.

The majority (63.6%) of the victims who died due to accidents caused by forces of nature were reported to be belonging to the age-group of 30-45 years (34.8%) and 45-60 years (28.8%) together, the report added.

The proportion of heat or sun stroke linked deaths was highest in Telangana. Among the 137 deaths it recorded due to ‘forces of nature’, 85 or 62 percent were due to heat or sun stroke. Landslides accounted for the highest proportion of deaths in hill states such as Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Meghalaya.

In 53 cities, 602 deaths were due to natural forces in 2023, the report noted, and heat and cold exposure accounted for 21.1 percent and 19.6% per cent of these deaths. Amritsar saw 51 deaths, the highest, due to cold exposure, followed by 22 deaths in Ludhiana and 15 in Kanpur. Amritsar also recorded the highest, 56 deaths, due to heat, followed by 20 in Ludhiana and 11 in Dhanbad.

India had seen a prolonged heat wave in 2023 in northern, eastern and north west India. In June 2023, Ballia and Deoria in Uttar Pradesh had seen over 150 deaths due to an intense heat wave.