As many as 1,428 people died due to extreme weather events in India last year, which was also the sixth warmest year since 1901. The average temperature over India during 2018 was “significantly above normal”, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

The country’s average season mean temperatures were also “above average” with the winter season (January-February, +0.59 degree C) being the fifth warmest since 1901 and the pre-monsoon season (March-May) the seventh warmest, it said.

The average mean monthly temperatures were also “warmer than normal” during all the months of the year except December, it said.

Meteorologists have pointed out global warming as behind the rise in temperatures.

“During 2018, annual mean surface air temperature, averaged over the country, was +0.41 degree C above (1981-2010) average. 2018 was the sixth warmest year on record since nationwide records commenced in 1901,” the IMD said.

The five warmest years on record are 2016 (+0.72 degree C), 2009 (+0.56 degree C), 2017 (+0.55 degree C), 2010 (+0.54 degree C) and 2015 (+0.42 degree C).

The IMD said 11 out of 15 warmest years were during the past 15 years (2004-18).

“The year 2018 was the sixth warmest year on record since nationwide records commenced in 1901. The other five warmest years are 2016, 2009, 2017, 2010 and 2015, all recent years,” tweeted M. Rajeevan, secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences.

Citing media reports, he also posted a map depicting the number of deaths caused due to extreme weather patterns in 2018. Of the 1,428 deaths recorded last year, heavy rains and flooding, dust storms, thunderstorms and lightning claimed half the lives.

In Uttar Pradesh, 590 people died due to extreme weather events. The state with the largest population in the country saw 158 deaths due to flood and heavy rainfall, 166 deaths due to thunderstorm, lightning (39 deaths), dust storm (92 deaths) and cold wave took 135 lives.

The casualty due to heavy rains and subsequent flooding was almost half - 688 deaths - of the total number of people perished in the country in 2018. Kerala, which saw unprecedented rain from August 8 to 23, saw 223 deaths, followed by Uttar Pradesh (158), Maharashtra (139), West Bengal (116) and Gujarat (52). Cyclonic storms Titli and Gaja killed 122 people, while avalanche claimed 11 lives in Jammu & Kashmir.