Accidental Deaths & Natural Hazards

Basics

• Why in News: NCRB 2023 report highlights deaths from natural causes (lightning, heat stroke, floods), showing rising vulnerability due to climate change.
• Source: NCRB’s 2023 report on Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India.
• Deaths due to forces of nature: 6,444.
• Major natural causes:
  • Lightning strikes → 2,560 deaths (39.7%).
  • Heat stroke → 804 deaths (12.5%).
  • Floods, cold exposure, landslides, torrential rains → remaining share.

Relevance

• GS1 (Geography) → Natural disasters, climate patterns (lightning, floods, heatwaves).
• GS2 (Governance, Welfare) → Public health preparedness, NDMA role, inter-state coordination.
• GS3 (Disaster Management, Environment) → Impact of climate change on mortality.

Other Key Fatalities (2023)

• Snake bites: 10,144 deaths (major killer among natural/animal causes).
• Animal attacks: 1,739 deaths (1,172 due to animal attacks, 567 due to snakebite misclassification within this category).
• Insect/other bites: Also included in natural causes fatalities.

Regional Distribution

• States with highest deaths due to forces of nature:
  • Madhya Pradesh – 397 deaths.
  • Bihar – 345.
  • Odisha – 294.
  • Uttar Pradesh – 287.
  • Jharkhand – 194.
• Specific observations:
  • Odisha → 1,351 deaths from lightning alone (highest for one state).
  • Telangana → 82% of natural deaths due to heat stroke.
  • Himachal, Mizoram, Arunachal, Meghalaya → highest proportion of landslide-related deaths.

Demographic Insights

• Age group most affected:
  • 30–45 years → 34.8%.
  • 45–60 years → 28.8%.
• Cause-specific:
  • Lightning victims → 63.6% of total natural deaths.
  • Heat stroke → highest concentration in Telangana.

Urban–Rural Patterns

• Urban centres:
  • Amritsar → highest overall exposure-related deaths (211 total; 196 due to heat).
  • Other high-burden cities → Ludhiana (50), Dhanbad (11).
• Rural areas: disproportionately affected due to dependence on agriculture and outdoor work.

Comparisons & Trends

• Snake bites (10,144) kill far more than all “forces of nature” combined (6,444).
• Lightning deaths remain the single largest killer in the “natural forces” category.
• Heatwave deaths are rising with climate change, especially in central and southern India.
• NCRB notes under-reporting in states with weaker health and disaster surveillance.

Policy & Governance Implications

• Disaster Preparedness:
  • Strengthen heatwave action plans (early warnings, public cooling shelters).
  • Lightning protection measures (lightning arresters, awareness campaigns for farmers and outdoor workers).
  • Snakebite management → stock antidotes, rural health infrastructure.
• Urban planning: Heat island mitigation (green cover, water bodies).
• Rural safety: Training for farmers, construction workers, outdoor labour.