India Lost Nearly 3,000 Lives to Natural Disasters in 2024; Himachal Pradesh Worst Hit

New Delhi: In a devastating toll, natural disasters claimed 2,936 lives across India in 2024, with Himachal Pradesh reporting the highest casualties at 408 deaths, according to Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai. The report, presented in the Lok Sabha, revealed that Madhya Pradesh (373 deaths), Kerala (355), Gujarat (230), and Maharashtra (206) were also among the worst-affected states.

Apart from human casualties, 3,63,381 houses/huts were damaged, with Assam (1,56,691 damaged homes) and Tripura (67,487) facing the most destruction. 61,826 cattle were also lost due to hydro-meteorological disasters, which include floods, landslides, and storms.

The National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) played key roles in relief efforts, with 14 Inter-Ministerial Central Teams (IMCTs) deployed to assess damage in affected states, including Assam, Kerala, Gujarat, and Himachal Pradesh.

Rai emphasized that disaster management remains the primary responsibility of state governments, with the Centre providing financial and logistical support for relief efforts.