Climate-related calamities claim 48 lives in Nagaland in five years

August 8, 2024 10 Views No Comment

Dimapur, August 7 (MExN): Climate-related disasters have officially claimed 48 lives in Nagaland over the past five years, according to recent data provided in the Rajya Sabha. Besides human losses, the data also highlighted significant animal and property damage, underscoring the severe and ongoing challenges posed by climate-related disasters in Nagaland.

The data, provided by the Union Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) citing the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on August 1, informed that the highest number of human casualties occurred in 2019-20, with 19 deaths. This was followed by 10 deaths in the 2022-23 period.

Meanwhile, a total of 17,591 cattle were lost during the five-year period, with the highest number reported in the 2022-23 fiscal year at 14,077. The lost cattle in 2023-24, however, stood at only 5.

Damages due to hydrometeorological calamities or extreme weather and climate-related events also included damage to 7,394 houses or huts during the last five years. The highest number of damaged houses or huts was reported in 2023-24 at 2,001.

The data also showed that 0.17 lakh hectares of crop area were affected, but only in 2021-22. There was no crop area affected in the remaining years.(see table)

The DoNER ministry further informed the Upper House that while the MHA looks after matters related to loss of human life and property due to natural calamities, state-wise information on damage caused by natural calamities is not maintained centrally. However, the data was based on information received by the MHA from states, it added.

Across the eight NE states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura, climate-related calamities claimed a total of 202 lives in 2023-24. Assam recorded the highest number of deaths at 65, followed by Sikkim with 65 and Tripura with 35.

A total of 3,148 cattle were lost during the period, while damage to houses or huts stood at 18,010. Additionally, 0.59 lakh hectares of crop area were affected in Assam, the data highlighted.