Home / Environment / Bengal's Weather Crisis: 240 Deaths in 9 Months
Bengal's Weather Crisis: 240 Deaths in 9 Months
5 Nov
Summary
- Bengal recorded 240 deaths from extreme weather in the first nine months of 2026.
- Heavy rainfall, floods, lightning, and thunderstorms are Bengal's deadliest weather events.
- Disasters impacted 13,940 hectares of cropland and damaged over 8,300 houses.
Bengal is grappling with an escalating extreme weather crisis, with 240 lives lost in the first nine months of 2026. This figure represents a concerning sevenfold increase compared to the same period last year. The state witnessed extreme weather conditions on 130 days between January and September 2026.
Heavy rainfall, floods, lightning, and thunderstorms have emerged as the most lethal events. These disasters have also severely impacted rural livelihoods, affecting 13,940 hectares of cropland and damaging 8,334 homes. Livestock losses were also significant, with 534 animals killed.
Nationally, extreme weather events impacted 251 days in the same period, resulting in 3,320 fatalities. Experts warn that these figures likely underestimate the full extent of devastation due to inadequate reporting systems in many states.
