Over 8,000 accidental deaths in 2022 due to forces of nature, 35% due to lightning: NCRB

Lightning was responsible for a significant percentage (35.8 per cent) of the 8,060 accidental deaths in India attributable to natural forces in 2022, according to the latest National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) report. On December 1, 2023, the NCRB released its 56th annual edition of Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India, which contained data for 2022. 

Heat / sun stroke led to 9.1 per cent accidental deaths in India due to forces of nature, the report said. “About 8.9 per cent of these accidental deaths (caused by forces of nature) recorded took place due to exposure to the cold,” it said.  

A large chunk of the people who succumbed to accidents due to forces of nature belonged to two specific age-groups, the report stated. “About 32.1 per cent of these belonged to the age groups above 60 years and 23.7 per cent were aged between 30 and 45 years,” it said 

Madhya Pradesh reported 496 deaths due to lightning, 329 in Bihar, 316 in Odisha, 301 in Uttar Pradesh and 267 in Jharkhand. These five states / Union Territories were the worst hit by forces of nature in terms of deaths.

Of the total 8,060 such deaths, 670 or 8.3 per cent were reported in 53 megacities in India.

The NCRB reported a total of 3,97,530 accidental deaths in India due to several factors in 2022. The maximum casualties were reported in the 30-45 age group This number, as per the report, was as high as 1,32,846 deaths. 

The report was prepared after examining data related to tragic incidents, highlighting trends, patterns and key factors contributing to their occurrence, according to the NCRB. The police from various state/Union Territories of the country, directors of State Crime Records Bureau and Crime Investigation Department contributed to the edition.