According to meteorologists, lightning may pose a great danger to the country in the coming years. Lightning strikes have already increased by 34 per cent in the country. The number of lightning strikes was 1,38,00,000 strikes in 2019-20 which rose to 1,85,4,367 in the year 2020-21; an increase of 46,83,989 strikes. Among the states, Punjab is the worst affected province where lightning strikes have increased by 331 per cent. Bihar comes second with a rise of 164 per cent, followed by Puducherry (117 per cent), Himachal Pradesh (105 per cent) and West Bengal (100 per cent). States like Arunachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha have also shown significant rise in lightning strikes.
Scientists argue that the rise in lighting strikes is a clear indication of climate shift. They further highlighted that in recent years lightning has claimed more lives than cyclones in the country. An estimated two thousand people are killed by lightning every year. This year the number may go further up as only a few days ago, lightning killed 65 people in five states. Earlier in May, a similar tragedy took place in West Bengal wherein 17 persons died in a single day due to lightning strikes. The state government has formed a high power committee to ascertain the reasons behind frequent lightning strikes.
A recent report in a science journal claims that India’s geographical location is the reason for the rise in lightning strikes. According to the journal’s report, India is located near the equator and the Indian Ocean provides it with a large amount of heat and moisture, which generates thunderstorms along with lightning. The amount of heat and the quantity of moisture have increased considerably during the last few years as a result of global warming. And thus, India has been witnessing frequent thunderstorms in recent years. In India, the problem is worsened by the absence of weather safety awareness and lack of lightning warning tools, which can alert people prior to such events and allow them time to take cover in safe shelters.
Apart from geographical locations, there are more factors responsible for the present situation. Due to lack of tree cover lightning strikes have become deadly, lightning strikes are not as dangerous in places where there is sufficient tree cover as it strikes the trees and dissipates into the ground. Some may argue that lighting casualties occur while standing under a tree. But scientists have studied that people are more exposed to lightning strikes in places where there is less tree cover. This is why cities like Kolkata are at the receiving end now as there is virtually no tree cover in the city due to unplanned urbanisation. Secondly, use of mobile phones also plays a big role in worsening the situation, lightning interferes with the electromagnetic field of mobile phones and thus, use of mobile phones during thunderstorms can be fatal. This is exactly what happened to those who died at Amber Fort in Rajasthan recently as they were taking selfies when lightning struck them. So to ward off the impending danger, steps should be taken to develop warning systems and build cover shelters on a war-footing. Such steps are necessary to save precious human lives from the threat of lightning.