The year 2025 proved to be a deadly one for Andhra Pradesh in terms of extreme weather events, with official data revealing a tragic loss of over 100 lives across the state. The primary culprits were lightning strikes and thunderstorms, followed by floods and heavy rains associated with cyclonic activity.
Lightning Emerges as the Deadliest Threat
According to the AP State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA), lightning and thunderstorms claimed a staggering 86 lives in 2025. This figure marks a sharp, alarming increase of approximately 62 per cent compared to the 53 deaths recorded in 2024. The coastal district of Srikakulam was the worst affected, reporting 12 fatalities due to lightning. It was closely followed by Vizianagaram district with 11 deaths, and Tirupati, Guntur, and Kurnool districts each recording significant numbers.
Floods and Cyclonic Rains Add to the Toll
Beyond thunderstorms, the state grappled with severe flooding. Between July and November 2025, parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh and the Rayalaseema region experienced flood-like situations, described by many as nature's fury unleashed within a few hours of intense rainfall. These flood events were responsible for 18 deaths. Furthermore, the state felt the impact of Cyclone Montha in October 2025, whose heavy rains led to the loss of three more lives in affected areas.
A Wet Year with Silver Linings: No Heatwaves or Cold Waves
Interestingly, the year that brought destructive rains also spared the state from other extreme weather phenomena. Both Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra Pradesh did not record a single heatwave day during the summer period from March 1 to May 31, 2025. This is a significant shift from previous years; Andhra Pradesh had recorded 21 heatwave days in 2023 and 27 in 2024, the highest in South India that year. Consequently, the state reported zero heatstroke deaths in 2025.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) noted that the state received 96 per cent excess rainfall during the pre-monsoon season (March to May) of 2025. The monsoon period from June 1 to September 30 also saw a positive deviation, with the state receiving 530.9 mm of rainfall against a normal of 521.6 mm, an excess of about two per cent. This overall healthy rainfall had a beneficial impact on agriculture and water resources.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, cold waves continued their disappearing trend. Andhra Pradesh has not experienced a single cold wave day in the last five years (2021 to 2025). Scientist S Karunasagar from IMD-Amaravati explained that a cold wave is declared when minimum temperatures drop to 10°C or below in plains for three consecutive days. The state has seen a steady decline from 20 cold wave days in 2011 to none in recent years, with no reported deaths due to cold conditions in the past half-decade.
