Bathinda: Punjab reported the second-highest deaths across the country due to exposure to cold in 2024, while the state recorded the third-highest deaths due to heat and sunstroke, according to data released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
Cold-Related Deaths
Punjab recorded 168 deaths, including 166 males and 2 females, due to exposure to cold, which was only behind Bihar, where 169 people died. Haryana reported 95 deaths due to cold exposure, including 92 males and 3 females, while Himachal Pradesh recorded 26 deaths, including 23 males and 3 females. Across the country, 833 people died of excessive cold, comprising 739 males and 94 females. In 2023, Punjab reported 127 deaths due to cold exposure, while the national toll was 733.
Heat and Sunstroke Deaths
Under heat or sunstroke, 183 lives were lost in Punjab, including 176 males and 7 females. The state was behind only Bihar, which recorded 422 deaths, and Uttar Pradesh, with 352 deaths. Haryana reported 131 deaths, including 123 males and 8 females, while no such deaths were reported in Himachal Pradesh. Nationally, 1,832 deaths occurred, including 1,603 males, 227 females, and 2 transgender individuals. In 2023, Punjab was second to Bihar in heat-related deaths. Over three years, Punjab recorded 331 deaths due to heatwaves, while the national total was 1,634. In 2020, 530 people died due to heatwaves across 36 states and union territories, followed by 374 in 2021 and 730 in 2022.
Flood and Natural Disaster Deaths
Under floods, Punjab lost 11 people, including 7 males and 4 females, in 2024. Himachal Pradesh lost 45 people, including 28 males and 17 females, while no flood deaths were reported in Haryana. Nationally, 361 lives were lost, with 289 males and 72 females. In Punjab, one life was lost due to a tornado in 2024. In Himachal Pradesh, 25 people (21 males, 4 females) died due to landslides, 11 (5 males, 6 females) due to torrential rain, 4 due to avalanches, and 2 due to forest fires in 2024.
Road Accidents
In Haryana, 5,187 people (4,561 males, 625 females, and 1 transgender) died in road accidents, with 10,569 accident cases reported, in which 8,438 people sustained injuries, including 7,068 males and 1,370 females. In Punjab, 4,936 people (4,343 males, 593 females) died in road accidents, with 6,166 accident cases, wherein 3,407 people were injured, including 2,821 males and 586 females. Across the country, 175,142 people died in road accidents, including 149,969 males, 25,164 females, and 9 transgender individuals, in 467,967 accident cases, with 448,365 people injured, including 351,549 males, 96,805 females, and 11 transgender individuals.
