As several regions in India gear up for orange weather alerts warning on thunderstorms and heatwaves, the World Meteorological Organisation has released a report announcing that extreme weather has caused two million deaths and cost $4 trillion over the past 50 years.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), isolated pockets of Jharkhand are likely to experience heatwave conditions today.

Yesterday, Delhi experienced an intense heatwave as temperatures soar above 46 degrees, passing the 40-degree Celsius threshold for a heatwave. According to a News18 report, the national capital's peak power demand reached 6,532 MW around 3:30 pm on May 22 and officials predict it may beat its record of 7,695 MW from last summer this year.

With some relief in sight the IMD has forecasted rain in the northwestern plains due to the active western disturbance.

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The weather department has, however, also issued an orange alert for extreme weather, warning about thunderstorm and lightning, hailstorm, heavy rain and strong surface winds across several states in the north. These include Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and West Bengal.

Extreme weather led to 2 million deaths, cost $4 trillion: WMO

According to the WMO, weather, clime and water-related hazards led to two million deaths and have cost $4 trillion over the past 50 years. Out of these, developing nations have suffered about 60 percent of economic losses and witness nine in 10 deaths.

"The most vulnerable communities, unfortunately, bear the brunt of weather, climate and water-related hazards," WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas said.

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The world has witnessed 12,000 disasters due to weather, climate and water-related hazards between 1970 and 2021.

Forecast for next 5 days:

The IMD also released its latest forecast and warnings for the country over the next five days.

Northwest India will see rainfall with thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds from May 23-26, with peak intensity on May 24 and 25. Uttarakhand and Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi will experience thundersqualls and gusty winds of 50-60 km/h on May 24 and 25. Heavy rainfall is expected in Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad, Himachal Pradesh, and Punjab. Hailstorms are likely in Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, and north Rajasthan. Rajasthan will also witness duststorms and thunderstorms from May 23-25.

Northeast India will have moderate rainfall with thunderstorms and gusty winds in Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura from May 23-26.

In East India, sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim will receive light to moderate rainfall, while the rest of the region will have isolated to scattered rainfall with thunderstorms. Heavy rainfall and hailstorms are possible in Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim, as well as in Bihar and West Bengal from May 23-25.

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Central India can expect isolated rainfall with thunderstorms in Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, and Chhattisgarh, with hailstorms in West Madhya Pradesh on May 24 and 25.

South India will experience light to moderate isolated to scattered rainfall in various areas over the next five days.

Regarding maximum temperatures, no significant change is expected over Northwest and Central India in the next 24 hours, followed by a gradual fall of 3-5 degrees Celsius. The maximum temperatures in the rest of the country are expected to remain relatively stable during the next five days.