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Extreme weather events driven by climate change claimed as many as 1,659 lives across India in 2019, which ended as the seventh warmest year on record, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on 06 January 2020. Heavy rain- and flood-related incidents took the maximum toll, claiming more than 850 lives across states, according to the State of the Climate Report-2019 prepared by government’s weather department. Bihar bore the brunt with 650 lives lost in the state, out of which 306 were lost in the floods triggered by heavy monsoon rain. Heavy showers also claimed several lives in Maharashtra (136), Uttar Pradesh (107), Kerala (88), Rajasthan (80), and Karnataka (43). Lightning and thunderstorm in these states led to the death of 380 people.