The India Meteorological Department on Friday said that 2021 was the fifth warmest year in India since 1901. The annual mean air temperature recorded in the year was 0.44 degrees Celsius above normal.
1,750 deaths due to extreme weather events such as floods, cyclonic storms, heavy rain, landslides, lightning, etc., were reported in the year. While thunderstorms and lightning claimed 787 lives, 759 died in heavy rainfall and flood-related incident, 172 in cyclonic storms, and 31 due to other extreme weather events.
"The year 2021 was the fifth warmest year after 2016, 2009, 2017, and 2010 since 1901. The annual mean air temperature for the country was recorded at 0.44 degrees Celsius above normal," the MeT department's annual climate statement, 2021, stated.
"The warm temperature during winter and post-monsoon season mainly contributed to this," it added.
The annual mean air temperature was 0.710 degrees Celsius above normal in 2016. In 2009, it was 0.550 degrees Celsius above the average temperature and 0.541 degrees Celsius in 2017. In 2010, the annual mean air temperature was 0.539 degrees Celsius above normal.