In 2019, there were 2,876 deaths due to lightning, compared with less than 1,500 on average, every year, between 1968 and 2004.
At least 74 people were killed in a lightning strike in the last 24 hours in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh. Of these, 11 was a visitor who was killed on Sunday when lightning hit them at Fort Amer near Jaipur.
The numbers may look high but shouldn’t surprise anyone.
Lightning storms accompanied by lightning strikes (usually in pre-monsoon and monsoon months) are the biggest single killers among natural disasters (extreme weather events) in India, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). Lightning strikes have killed at least 2,000 people every year in India since 2004, the Indian Meteorology Department (IMD) said last month in the workshop of consciousness about lightning strikes.
In 2019, there were 2,876 deaths due to lightning, compared to less than 1,500 on average, every year, between 1968 and 2004. There was a short period of three to four years including when lightning strikes killed more than 1,500 people, but more trends Great held.
Disaster Management Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs has not updated data on lightning death for 2020.
According to a paper published in the ELSEVIER Journal, the weather and extreme climate by the Ministry of Earth Science titled “Long-term change assessment in mortality due to extreme weather events in India: a data study of 50 years, 1970-2019”, the death rate of tropical cyclones decreased 94% During the 20 years, while for Heubbay and lightning, each increased 62.2% and 52.8%.
Monsoon Break creates conditions for strikes
Usually, high frequency lightning strikes during the pre-monsoon season, and when the rainy season will do onset of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and neighboring countries. This is the time when the moisture level increases, and high surface temperatures, creates favorable conditions for the development of thunder clouds.
However, this year, there are massive lightning strikes and victims related to mid-July, especially because of the long rainy season when surface temperatures are very high without rain.
“It has been around the 10-day break in Monsoon. There has been a significant surface warming during this period. When the rainy season revives, the moisture level also increases. This is the most profitable condition for the development of thunder clouds and ice particle collisions that lead to charging and lightning strikes, “said Elementary School, Director of the Project, Dynamics Badiah, Tropical Meteorology Institute of Indian, Pune. Guntur clouds need heat and moisture to form. They must also be deep, around nine to 10 kilometers for ice particle collisions. And that’s what happens now.
Why do we see a surge in recent years?
According to pawar, a surge in lightning strikes can certainly be associated with the climate crisis.
“Surface temperature and moisture level increased significantly in recent years. Urbanization which leads to loss of tree cover also contributes to the increase in surface temperature. We think both of them mainly contribute to rising in the incidence of lightning. The increase in deaths could be more people outdoors and Maybe it’s getting flashed in recent years, “he said.
Lightning mortality will only increase in the coming years. “Climate projections show that temperatures and moisture will increase further in the future,” said Roxy Mathew Koll, climate scientist, Indian Tropical Meteorology Institute (IITM).
How can death be prevented?
IMD’s Damini App provides a specific warning of the Lightning area, but lightning is a very local phenomenon, and the warning often does not reach the last mile. However, one can do certain things in terms of lightning strikes to save a person’s life, such as going to a safe structure but avoiding metal construction and finding shelter in lowland areas that are not flooded. Squatting with your arms and legs together to make smaller targets, and move away from utility lines (telephone, power, etc.) and metal fences, trees (they do electricity) and hilltops are several other ways to stay safe during events ,