Two million killed by extreme weather in half a century, says UN agency

Disasters caused $4.3 trillion damage between 1970 and 2021, World Meteorological Organisation calculates

The UN weather agency said nearly 12,000 extreme weather, climate and water-related events killed more than two million people between 1970 and 2021. AP

Extreme weather, climate and water-related events caused nearly 12,000 disasters that killed two million people between 1970 and 2021, the World Meteorological Organisation has calculated.

Economic losses estimated at $4.3 trillion were suffered as a result of the disasters, the UN agency said.

The figures, announced at the start of the World Meteorological Congress on May 22, revealed that 90 per cent of the deaths were in developing nations.

The agency said mortality rates in such disasters were now decreasing, thanks to improvements in early warning systems and disaster management.

But least developed countries and small island developing states still suffer disproportionately in relation to the size of their economies.

“The most vulnerable communities unfortunately bear the brunt of weather, climate and water-related hazards,” said WMO secretary general Prof Petteri Taalas. He gave the havoc wreaked by this month's severe cyclonic storm Mocha in Myanmar and Bangladesh as an example.

An aim of the 12-day congress in Geneva, Switzerland, will be to ensure that early warning services reach every person on Earth by 2027.

Swiss President Alain Berset will open the session, which will also include representatives from UN agencies, development banks, governments, and national meteorological and hydrological services.

More than 60 per cent of economic losses due to weather-related disasters were reported for developed economies, but these losses equated to less than 0.1 per cent of the gross domestic product in most cases.

Extreme temperatures were the leading cause of reported deaths in Europe, while floods were the leading cause of economic losses.

In least developed countries, 7 per cent of disasters had an impact equivalent to more than 5 per cent of GDP, with some disasters causing losses of nearly 30 per cent.

Asia accounted for 47 per cent of all reported deaths, with tropical cyclones the leading cause of fatalities.

Bangladesh recorded the highest death toll in Asia, with 520,758 deaths in 281 events.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres is leading the push for worldwide early warning systems coverage.

Despite the proven effectiveness of the systems, only half of countries have them in place. Coverage is lowest in small island developing states, least developed countries, and in Africa.

The early warnings initiative, led by the WMO and other agencies, has received widespread support and 30 countries have been identified to benefit in 2023.