NEWS

• According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2023 report on Accidental Deaths and Suicides, 6,444 people died due to natural forces like lightning, floods, heat, cold, and landslides.
• Lightning strikes were the deadliest, accounting for 2,560 deaths (39.7%).

HIGHLIGHTS

Deaths by Cause (Natural Forces)

• Heat/Sunstroke: 804 deaths
• Cold exposure: 733 deaths
• Floods, landslides, torrential rains: significant contributors
• Snake bites: 10,144 deaths (0.6% increase from 2022)
• Other animal/insect bites: 1,172 deaths
• Animal attacks: 1,739 deaths

Geographical Concentration

• Odisha: 1,351 deaths (highest)
• Uttar Pradesh: 852 deaths
• Madhya Pradesh: 789 deaths
• Bihar: 679 deaths
• Jharkhand: 401 deaths
• Maharashtra: 312 deaths
• Lightning-prone states: Madhya Pradesh (397), Bihar (345), Odisha (294), Uttar Pradesh (287), Jharkhand (194)

Causes of Lightning and Heatwaves

• Lightning:
  • Rapid discharge of electricity in 10–12 km tall clouds
  • Ice crystal collisions generate free electrons → huge electrical potential difference → current flows to Earth
  • Plains of Indo-Gangetic belt and Madhya Pradesh prone due to convergence of warm dry air from NW and moist air from Bay of Bengal
• Heatwaves:
  • Prolonged heat in northern, eastern, north-western India
  • June 2023: Ballia & Deoria (UP) saw over 150 deaths

 Trends and Observations

• Deaths due to natural forces declined by 20% compared to 2022
• However, deaths due to heat stroke and cold exposure rose by 10% and 1.8%, respectively
• In 53 cities, 602 deaths occurred due to natural forces; heat and cold exposure accounted for 21.1% and 19.6%, respectively