India witnessed a significant decrease in internal displacements caused by natural disasters in 2023, according to a report released on Tuesday by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC).
The figure, estimated at over half a million, marks a sharp decline from the staggering 2.5 million displacements recorded in 2022.
The report acknowledges the devastation left behind by deadly floods in the Himalayan states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. It also sheds light on the tragic glacial lake outburst flood that struck Sikkim in October 2023.
This event, claiming over 100 lives and displacing more than 88,000 people, further highlighted the vulnerability of the region to extreme weather occurrences.
The national capital, Delhi, also found itself grappling with floods in July 2023.
Identified as a "flood displacement hotspot," the city saw the Yamuna River overflow after heavy rains, prompting authorities to evacuate residents from their homes.
The IDMC report estimates that this event alone displaced roughly 27,000 people.
Despite the encouraging downward trend in India's internal displacements, a broader picture emerges when examining South Asia as a whole.
The region reported around 3.7 million displacements in 2023, with a staggering 3.6 million attributed to disasters. This figure, however, represents the lowest recorded since 2018.
Researchers suggest that the El Nino weather phenomenon, which brought below-average monsoon rainfall and a less intense cyclone season, may have contributed to this decline.
However, the report cautions against complacency. Floods and storms continue to wreak havoc, often afflicting the same areas repeatedly.
India's flood displacement figure, while the lowest since 2008 at 352,000, serves as a stark reminder of the constant threat posed by extreme weather events.
The single largest flood event in 2023, displacing an estimated 91,000 people across 20 districts in Assam, exemplifies this vulnerability.
Cyclone Biparjoy, forming in the Arabian Sea, also left its mark, causing widespread flooding and displacing 105,000 people as it moved inland across Gujarat and Rajasthan.
Bangladesh, however, bore the brunt of South Asia's disaster displacements in 2023.
Cyclone Mocha, the largest such event in the region for the year, triggered a staggering 1.3 million displacements, primarily affecting the Cox's Bazar district.
The report highlights the critical role of preparedness in mitigating the impact of disasters.
Bangladesh's success in implementing pre-emptive evacuations, facilitated by accurate forecasting and early warnings, stands as a testament to this.
These measures are estimated to have significantly reduced the number of displaced persons in densely populated areas.
Looking beyond South Asia, the IDMC report paints a concerning global picture. Disasters triggered a staggering 26.4 million displacements worldwide in 2023, marking the third-highest annual total in the last decade.
"No country is immune," commented Alexandra Bilak, director of IDMC.
She emphasised the stark difference in how prepared nations fare compared to those lacking robust disaster management plans.
"Those that leverage data to build prevention, response, and long-term development plans that factor in displacement are demonstrably better equipped to handle these crises," she said.
The report serves as a timely reminder of the looming threat posed by climate change in India.
A 2022 study by researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar, predicts a future marked by an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as floods and heatwaves.
The study attributes this phenomenon to the rising concentration of heat-trapping greenhouse gases, which destabilises the atmosphere and fuels extreme weather patterns.
Meteorologists further warn of intensifying cyclonic storms retaining their destructive power for longer durations as a result of global warming.
However, the report serves as a wake-up call, urging proactive measures to address the impending challenges of climate change.
With a focus on robust disaster management strategies and a commitment to mitigating climate change, India can strive for a future where communities are better prepared to weather the inevitable storms.
Extreme weather events such as floods and heatwaves are becoming more frequent and are projected to increase manifold in India in the future due to climate change, according to a 2022 report by researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar.
The increase in the concentration of heat-trapping greenhouse gases has heightened instability in the atmosphere, leading to increased convective activity thunderstorms, lightning, and heavy rain events.
According to meteorologists, cyclonic storms are intensifying rapidly and retaining their intensity for longer durations due to global warming.
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