Lightning strikes up, deaths down in Odisha

By Express News Service
BHUBANESWAR: Even as Odisha topped in thunderbolt strikes within the nation with an increase of round 37 per cent (computer) in a yr, it has been profitable in lowering deaths associated to lightning.The Annual Lightning Report 2020-21 revealed that the lightning strikes rose from round 14.2 lakh strikes in 2019-20 to twenty.43 lakh in 2020-21 however the deaths got here down from 207 to 156 through the interval.

The report has been ready by Climate Resilient Observing Systems Promotion Council (CROPC) that works carefully with the IMD to supply early lightning forecasts. Bihar ranked no 1 with 401 deaths, adopted by 238 in Uttar Pradesh, 228 in Madhya Pradesh. The discount in deaths within the State has been attributed to early lightning warnings.

While IMD points forecasts in three steps – medium vary earlier than three to 5 days, brief vary earlier than one to a few days and nowcast earlier than two to a few hours – the Damini app offers location particular alerts earlier than 40 minutes.

“Yet, there is a lack of protocol and mechanism for last mile public notification and interventions, which could have helped in reducing more deaths. Disaster management authorities need to spread awareness about what needs to be done or what not during a lightning strike,” the report said.There has been a 34 computer rise in lightning strikes within the nation from 1.38 crore strikes in 2019-2020 to 1.8 crore strikes in 2020-2021.

Districts like Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Jajpur, Dhenkanal, Angul, Deogarh and Sundargarh have been hit by a excessive of over 4000 cloud to floor strikes per 400 sq. km space in 2020-21. According to IMD, Bariparda, Bhubaneswar, Jharsuguda, Gopalpur, Cuttack, Titlagarh, Sambalpur, Puri, Balangir and Berhampur are vulnerable to lightning.  

“Odisha has been at the forefront in installing lightning arresters on all cyclone shelters. There are more fatalities in the pre-monsoon to initial monsoon days as there is a large number of farmers in the agriculture field,” mentioned CROPC chairperson Sanjay Srivastava mentioned.