2021 Fifth Warmest Year In India Since 1901, Extreme Weather Events Led To 1,750 Deaths: IMD

New Delhi: According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), 2021 was the fifth warmest year in India since 1901 as the country recorded its annual mean air temperature at 0.44 degree Celsius above normal.

India also reported 1,750 deaths due to extreme weather events such as floods, cyclonic storms, heavy rain, landslides, lightning, among others, during the year, IMD stated on Friday.

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The MeT department released its annual climate statement, 2021 where it informed: “The year 2021 was the fifth warmest year after 2016, 2009, 2017 and 2010 since 1901. The annual mean air temperature for the country was recorded at 0.44 degree Celsius above normal”.

“The warm temperature during winter and post-monsoon season mainly contributed to this,” it added

In 2016, the annual mean air temperature recorded in India was 0.710 degree Celsius above normal. It was 0.550 degree Celsius and 0.541 degree Celsius above the average temperature in 2009 and 2017, respectively.

In 2010, the annual mean air temperature stood 0.539 degree Celsius above normal, the IMD stated.

According to the MeT department, thunderstorms and lightning reportedly claimed 787 lives in India in 2021, while 759 people died in heavy rainfall and flood-related incidents in the year.

Cyclonic storms claimed 172 lives and 32 others died due to other extreme weather events, the statement informed.

Past Seven Years Hottest On Record, Satellite Data Reveals

The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) recently revealed that 2021 was the fifth warmest year, with some areas receiving record-breaking heat. 

Notably, in a worrying trend, the amount of warming gases in the environment, such as carbon dioxide and methane, is just increasing.

The Copernicus Data is derived from the constellation of Sentinel Satellites that are present to monitor Earth from its orbit along with the measurements taken at the ground level.

Data released by the EU satellite system reveals that the year 2021 was warmer than 2015 and 2018 by a little margin, making it the fifth-hottest year on record. Furthermore, the past seven years were the hottest by a clear margin. 

The annual average temperature had shifted 1.1 to 1.2 above pre-industrial levels, which were measured between 1850 and 1900, revealed C3S.

The impact of climate change is being witnessed all over the globe with Europe experiencing its warmest summer to date. The temperature records in the western US and Canada, Africa, and the Middle East also broke by several degrees. 

“These events are a stark reminder of the need to change our ways, take decisive and effective steps toward a sustainable society and work towards reducing net carbon emissions,” Carlo Buontempo, director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service, said, as quoted by the BBC.

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