India recorded over 3.2 crore disaster displacements in a decade: IDMC

India recorded 323 million 323 crore internal displacements due to disasters such as floods and storms between 2015 and 2024 the third highest in the world after China and the Philippines according to a new reportThe report by the Genevabased Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre IDMC said disasters triggered 2648 million internal displacements or forced movements across 210 countries and territories during this periodEast and South Asia were the most affected regionsAt the country level Bangladesh China India the Philippines and the US recorded the highest figures over the past decade the report saidChina recorded 469 million internal displacements and the Philippines 461 millionThe report said that nearly 90 per cent of global disaster displacements were the result of floods and stormsStorms triggered most of the worlds disaster displacements between 2015 and 2024 accounting for 1209 million movements it saidFloods triggered 1148 million displacements during the same periodCyclones including Amphan in 2020 accounted for about 92 per cent of all storm displacements globallyThe report said disasters have triggered an increasing number of internal displacements since 2015 the result in part of more frequent and intense hazards but also improved data at the national level and better monitoring capacity at the global levelIn 2024 alone 458 million internal displacements were recorded the highest on record and far above the decadal average of 265 millionIndia recorded 54 million 54 lakh displacements last year due to floods storms and other disasters the highest figure in 12 yearsThe report said many of the displacements were preemptive evacuations testimony to the efforts of governments and local communities in disasterprone countries to save lives and prevent injuriesHowever millions of people remain displaced for months or years after fleeing major storms floods and other natural hazardsThe IDMC emphasised that disaster displacement affects the most vulnerable more severelyThey are often forced to flee repeatedly and for longer periods which heightens their preexisting vulnerabilities and reinforces social inequalities it saidIt warned that under current climate conditions an annual average of 32 million people worldwide are likely to be displaced by riverine and coastal floods drought and cyclonic winds in any given future yearThat risk increases by 100 per cent if Earths average temperature rises by more than 15 degrees Celsius compared to the start of the industrial revolution 18501890 it saidThe 15 degrees Celsius threshold is a target that countries agreed to at the Paris climate conference in 2015 to avoid the worst impacts of climate changeLeft unaddressed disaster displacement will be a major obstacle to the achievement of global goals such as those set by the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development the report saidThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever