According to the latest report shared by the United Nations agency said on Monday that extreme weather conditions have claimed more than 2 million over the past 50 years and have caused economic damages worth USD 4.3 trillion.The figures were shared by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), which claims that around 12,000 events of extreme weather, climate and water-related disasters have been reported from 1970 to 2021.Extreme weather, climate and water-related events caused 11 778 reported disasters between 1970 and 2021, with just over 2 million deaths and US$ 4.3 trillion in economic losses, according to new figures presented to #MeteoWorld.https://t.co/nghvQG67OY pic.twitter.com/UzikT8zh2g— World Meteorological Organization (@WMO) May 22, 2023Source: TwitterAccording to the new findings by WMO for the quadrennial World Meteorological Congress, a high-level dialogue on accelerating and scaling up action to ensure that everyone on the Earth receives the early warning services by the end of 2027.Early warnings can mean the difference between life and death. Our focus is on #LastMileConnectivity to ensure timely alerts reach those at risk. We must act swiftly to reduce inequalities, leverage digital tech and aim for #EarlyWarningsForAll by 2027#MeteoWorld pic.twitter.com/aEyDjaXuKZ— Doreen Bogdan-Martin (@ITUSecGen) May 22, 2023Source: TwitterThe Secretary-General of WMO, Prof. Petteri Taalas said, “Extremely severe cyclonic storm Mocha exemplifies this. It caused widespread devastation in Myanmar and Bangladesh, impacting the poorest of the poor. In the past, both Myanmar and Bangladesh suffered death tolls of tens and even hundreds of thousands of people. Thanks to early warnings and disaster management these catastrophic mortality rates are now thankfully history. Early warnings save lives.”The agency further asserted that developed economies accounted for over 60 percent of the economic damages caused by weather, climate, and water-related disasters. However, in more than 45 percent of these disasters, the economic losses were less than 0.1 percent of the respective economies gross domestic product (GDP). There were no natural disasters that resulted in financial losses that exceeded 3.5 percent of the corresponding GDPs.In the least Developed Countries, 7 percent of disasters that resulted in recorded economic losses had an impact equal to or more than 5 percent of the respective GDPs, with some disasters resulting in losses as high as nearly 30 percent.20 percent of disasters in Small Island Developing States with recorded economic losses had an impact equal to or greater than 5 percent of the respective GDPs.Europe has seen 1,784 disasters: WMO According to the reports, in Europe alone, 1,784 disasters were causing 166,492 deaths and USD 562.0 billion in economic losses. Europe accounted for 8 percent of all recorded deaths worldwide between 1970 and 2021. Floods were the main cause of recorded economic losses and extreme temperatures were the main cause of reported fatalities.Deaths reported in Asia by WMO984,263 people died and there were documented 3,612 disasters across Asia that were attributable to weather, climate, and water extremes. Between 1970 and 2021, Asia accounted for 47 percent of all reported deaths worldwide, with tropical cyclones being the leading cause of reported deaths. Tropical cyclone Nargis in 2008 led to 138,366 deaths. In Asia, Bangladesh has the highest death toll with 520,758 fatalities resulting from 281 incidents.Figures of American regions by WMOWhile 2,107 weather, climate, and water-related disasters caused 77,454 fatalities and USD 2.0 trillion in economic losses in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.The area was responsible for 46 percent of all documented economic losses worldwide between 1970 and 2021. US losses totalled USD 1.7 trillion, or 39 percent of global losses throughout the 51-year period. Tropical cyclones in particular were blamed for the majority of the recorded economic losses that were caused by storm-related catastrophes.
