India Ranks 9th Among Disaster-Affected Countries, 80,000 Deaths in Last 30 Years

The Climate Risk Index Report 2026, released during the COP30 summit in Brazil, has published a list of disaster-affected countries. India has also been included in this list.

The COP30 summit, focusing on climate-related matters, is being held in Brazil from November 10-21. The conference is taking place in the city of Belem, Brazil. During this summit, the German organisation Germanwatch released its Climate Risk Index Report 2026 concerning disasters caused by climate change. The report was published on Tuesday. According to the report, between 1995 and 2024, more than 9,700 extreme weather events worldwide resulted in the deaths of 832,000 people and affected 5.7 billion people. The total economic loss due to these disasters exceeded $4.5 trillion. India is among the top 10 countries most affected by these disasters.

Most Affected Countries Globally (1995–2024)

Rank	Country
1.	Dominica
2.	Myanmar
3.	Honduras
4.	Libya
5.	Haiti
6.	Grenada
7.	Philippines
8.	Nicaragua
9.	India
10.	Bahamas

40% Population Affected in 11 Countries

The report states that approximately 40% of the world's population resides in the 11 countries that have been most severely impacted by extreme weather over the past 30 years. This group includes India (ranked 9th) and China (ranked 11th).

Profound Impact on India

India ranked 9th on this list. The report highlighted that India is consistently affected by recurring disasters such as floods, cyclones, droughts, and heatwaves. Over the 30-year period, India experienced more than 430 extreme weather events, which claimed over 80,000 lives and affected approximately 1.3 billion people.

Wealthy Nations Not Significantly Affected

For a long time, no wealthy nation has featured in the top 10 most affected countries. In 2024, 8 out of the 10 most affected countries belong to the low or lower-middle income categories. This clearly indicates that the countries least responsible for climate change are becoming its biggest victims.

Heavy Losses Due to Storms, Floods, Heatwaves, and Droughts

Globally, storms, floods, heatwaves, and droughts have been the most devastating disasters, causing significant loss of life and property.