India among countries worst-hit by extreme weather events, made up 10% of global deaths

India was among the 10 countries most affected by extreme weather events between 1993 and 2022, accounting for 10% of global fatalities caused by such events, and 4.3% of the damage (in dollar terms).

- Jayashree Nandi

The country was ranked sixth in the Climate Risk Index, 2025 published by German watch, an independent development, environmental, and human rights organisation based in Bonn and Berlin, highlighting its vulnerability to the climate crisis. Dominica, China, Honduras Myanmar, and Italy, are ranked ahead of India.

India was affected by floods, heatwaves, and cyclones during the period. It experienced devastating floods in 1993, 1998, and 2013, along with severe heatwaves in 2002, 2003, and 2015. All told, the country, faced more than 400 extreme events, causing $180 billion in losses, and at least 80,000 fatalities, according to Germanwatch, which estimated that, globally, extreme weather events caused almost 800,000 deaths and $4.2 trillion in damage.