13 July 2021.
India’s second annual Lightning Report was recently published. According to it, lightning in India has become the biggest cause of death by forces of nature.
Highlights
On July 11, 2021 lightning strikes killed about 70 people in different parts India, including Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
Report of second annual Lightning Report
- As per the report, Bihar has reported most deaths because of lightning. In between April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021 about 401 deaths were reported.
- Bihar is followed by Uttar Pradesh where 238 deaths were reported in same period.
- UP is followed by Madhya Pradesh with 228, Odisha with 156 deaths and Jharkhand with 132 deaths.
- While, other states reported less than 100 deaths in same period.
- Majority of the states have reported decline in deaths caused due to thunderbolt strikes between 2019 and 2020 except Bihar.
- Bihar recorded a jump of 81% in deaths from 221 deaths in 2019-20 to 401 during April 2020 and March 2021.
Position of countrywide Lightning strikes
- Overall, there has been a 34% increase in Lightning strikes in the country.
- It has increased from 1.38 crore strikes in 2019-2020 to 1.85 crore strikes in 2020-2021.
- Punjab reported a 331% rise in thunderbolt strikes. Bihar witnessed 168% increase in lightning strikes.
- It is followed by Haryana (164%), Puducherry (117%), Himachal Pradesh (105%), and West Bengal (100%).
About Lightning
- Lightning is a huge spark of electricity in atmosphere between clouds, air, or ground.
- There are three kinds of lightning viz., Inter-cloud, Intra-cloud, and Cloud-to-ground. As per the report greatest number of deaths were because people were standing under isolated tall trees while 25% of people were struck in open.
- Humans are killed because of cloud-to-ground lightning.