Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said that one thousand 224 persons lost their lives till July in the current fiscal due to hydro-meteorological disasters. In a reply in Rajya Sabha today, the Minister informed that a maximum of 502 died in Bihar followed by 97 in Madhya Pradesh. 

He also said that during this period, over 61 thousand houses were damaged due to cyclones and floods. He said that various steps have been taken to minimize the damage caused by natural disasters in the country. The Minister informed the Upper House that the Centre has already established an early warning system which has significantly enhanced the accuracy of weather forecasts. Mr. Rai mentioned that the number of casualties during natural calamities has been reduced due to the steps being taken by the Centre and State governments in disaster management practices, preparedness, prevention, and response mechanism.