India lost around $87 billion in 2020 due to natural calamities, such as cyclones, floods and droughts, according to a report by World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released on Tuesday. The report further added that while China was the most affected nation from the effects of global warming, it was India in the second position.
The report published in the Mint stated that droughts caused the maximum damage, adding that 2020 was the warmest year on record for Asia, with a mean temperature at 1.39 degrees Celsius above the average of the 1981-2010 period.
The report said that the East and South Asian summer monsoon were unusually active. Regular cyclones, floods and landslides, have led to the loss of lives and caused widespread displacement across nations.
Cyclone Amphan, which severely hit the Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest straddling India and Bangladesh, in May 2020, displaced 2.4 million and 2.5 million people, respectively.
The Indian Ocean is also warming up rapidly, along with the Pacific and the Arctic, with record surface temperatures. Sea surface temperatures around Asia were increasing three times faster than the global average, particularly in the Arabian sea. Warmer sea surfaces increase the probability of severe storms affecting the surrounding areas.
Progress on food security and nutrition has also been slowing globally, the WMO report stated. In 2020, 48.8 million people in South-East Asia, 305.7 million in South Asia and 42.3 million in West Asia were undernourished. “The true impacts of covid-19 on food security and nutrition are yet to be established," the WMO mentioned.
Check out latest DH videos here:
Deccan Herald News now on Telegram - Click here to subscribe
Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Dailymotion | YouTube
