The Centre informed the Lok Sabha that 2,936 people lost their lives in hydro-meteorological disasters like floods, landslides, and storms in India last year. Among the states, Himachal Pradesh suffered the most casualties, with 408 people losing their lives due to such disasters.

States with highest casualties

According to Nityanand Rai, the Minister of State for Home Affairs, the deaths were spread across several states. Apart from Himachal Pradesh, the following states reported the highest number of fatalities:

  • 373 deaths in Madhya Pradesh
  • 355 deaths in Kerala
  • 230 deaths in Gujarat
  • 206 deaths in Maharashtra

Other states with significant casualties include Karnataka (185 deaths), Rajasthan (131 deaths), Assam (128 deaths), and Chhattisgarh (125 deaths).

The disasters also caused a lot of damage to homes and cattle. In total, 363,381 houses or huts were damaged. Assam had the highest number of damaged homes, with 156,691 houses affected. Other states that saw significant damage include:

  • Tripura: 67,487 homes damaged
  • Manipur: 29,369 homes damaged
  • Karnataka: 22,414 homes damaged
  • Gujarat: 20,741 homes damaged

In addition to the destruction of homes, 61,826 cattle were lost in these disasters.

Role of state and central governments

Nityanand Rai said that state governments are mainly responsible for handling disasters and providing relief using their State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF). The central government helps them by giving extra money and resources when needed.

For major disasters, the central government provides additional financial aid through the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) after checking the situation. By January 27, 2024, 14 teams were sent to different states and Union Territories to assess the damage caused by natural disasters.

Rai stated that the reports from these teams are considered by the central government to provide further assistance based on the severity of the situation. 

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