Extreme weather events causing natural disasters in the current decade are occurring nearly five times as often as they were in the 1970s. The frequency of geophysical disasters—earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and mass movements, remained broadly constant throughout this period, but a sustained rise in hydro-meteorological related events (mainly floods and storms) pushed total occurrences significantly higher. Since 2000, on an average of 341 hydro-meteorological related disasters were recorded per annum, up 44 per cent from the 1994-2000 average and well over twice the level in 1980-1989. Of all hydro-meteorological disasters, about 89 per cent were due to flooding and storms.

The  year 2015 will be remembered as the year of extremes. The year turned out to be the warmest year; record number of category 4 and 5 hurricanes formed in the Northern hemisphere with Hurricane Patricia being the strongest till date. El Niño, the strongest in recent years, has been a major driver of anomalies in weather of many parts of the world. Summer was unusually severe over south and Southeast Asia. Heat waves caused more than 2000 deaths in India and about 2000 deaths in Karachi and parts of Sindh state of Pakistan. The year 2015 became year of deficient rainfall during monsoon season for the second consecutive year.  While many parts of the country are facing drought, Manipur, West Bengal, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu experienced floods. Rainfall in Chennai broke a 100-year-old record. Landslides occurred in Manipur, Himachal, Jammu and Kashmir and western Ghats. 

Awareness about extreme weather phenomena helps in better preparedness and this issue of Geography and You is dedicated to raising its understanding.