Written by Cherry GuptaNew Delhi | November 13, 2025 12:53 PM IST 3 min readClimate Risk Index 2026: Which are the top countries worst-affected and where does India, China, Pakistan and the U.S. rank. (Source: Shutterstock)Climate Risk Index 2026: Scorching heat, torrential rain, raging wildfires, deadly floods, and devastating storms — what were once rare events have become the new normal in a rapidly warming world.With 2024 confirmed as the hottest year on record, the latest Climate Risk Index 2026 by Germanwatch highlights how the growing intensity of extreme weather events is reshaping global life and economies.Read | Climate Change Performance Index: Top and bottom 10 countries in 2025 — where does India rank?Between 1995 and 2024, more than 9,700 extreme weather events claimed 832,000 lives and caused direct economic losses of nearly USD 4.5 trillion (inflation-adjusted), the report states.The countries most affected during this 30-year period were Dominica, Myanmar, and Honduras.Dominica has repeatedly suffered from powerful hurricanes.Honduras, one of the poorest nations in the Western Hemisphere, remains highly exposed to hurricanes, tropical storms, floods, droughts, and landslides.Myanmar, vulnerable to cyclones and floods, was the hardest hit in 2024 due to Typhoon Tyagi, placing it at No. 9 for 2024 and No. 2 for the overall 1995–2024 period.Top 10 countries most affected by extreme weather (1995–2024):Other major countries:China ranked No. 11, Pakistan No. 15, and the United States No. 18; find full rankings below. Climate Risk Index 2026: The top 20 worst-hit countries in 1995-2024.Where does India stand?India improved its annual rank from No. 10 in 2023 to No. 15 in 2024, reflecting fewer major disasters and gradual improvements in resilience.However, over the longer period (1995–2024), India stands at No. 9 among the countries most affected by climate-related disasters — recording around 80,000 deaths, or 9.6 per cent of the global total, from extreme weather events.Story continues below this adThe report notes that India faced more than 430 climate disasters — including droughts, cyclones, heatwaves, and floods — during the past three decades, resulting in estimated losses of USD 170 billion.In case you missed it | List of countries hit by the most major earthquakes: Is India among them?“Notable events with high fatalities and/or economic losses include the 1998 Gujarat and 1999 Odisha cyclones, Cyclones Hudhud (2014) and Amphan (2020), the 1993 floods in Northern India, the Uttarakhand floods of 2013, and severe floods in 2019,” the report stated.It also highlighted that “recurring and unusually intense heatwaves, with temperatures above 50°C, claimed many lives in 1998, 2002, 2003, and 2015.”Cherry Gupta is an Assistant Manager – Content at The Indian Express. She leads the Top 10 section, curating list-based features on key national and international developments, and manages daily news content. She also produces SEO-driven articles and collaborates with the Lifestyle team to conduct interviews with notable artists and write workplace culture features. ... Read More© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd