Deaths from lightning strikes especially in the season of Norwester have been a common phenomenon in Bangladesh for ages. In the recent countrywide thunderstorms, around 11 people have reportedly been struck by lightning and the fatalities are feared to rise in coming days. It is said that deaths from lightning strikes have been on the rise due to lack of awareness whereas many deaths could be avoided if the met office effectively broadcast early warnings on chances of thunderbolt. Hence, it is high time for the metrological department to effectively broadest early warnings on thunderbolt especially in the season of northwester.
Experts are of the opinion that lightning will strike far more frequently in a world under climate change-but researchers can still not predict exactly where or when those strikes will occur. In a it has been found that around 1,600 people were killed in 5,878 lightning incidents in the country over the past six years as disclosed by Disaster Forum, a Dhaka-based network on disaster preparedness and risk reduction. It is said that the exact number of casualty from lightning could be much higher as many cases go unreported.
It has been found that around 1,600
people were killed in 5,878
lightning incidents in the
country over the past six years
Most of the deaths due to lightning occur in farmlands, where victims are engaged in cultivation. Dhaka, Tangail, Mymensingh, Manikganj, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Dinajpur have been detected as lightning prone areas besides haor areas by Bangladesh Meteorological Department. The meteorological department claimed that thunderbolt warnings are issued regularly, but people are not aware of those alerts. In this circumstance, awareness building at individual and community level has become crucial in order to bring down the number of deaths and injuries from lightning. Hence, executing warning campaign in order make people conscious about thunderbolts has become very much pertinent. In this regard, community radio can play a crucial role. Given the risk or dangers of thunderstorm that are supposed to loom large in the coming monsoon, we suggest people to stay away from tall trees, electric pillars and towers, and take shelter under a concrete ceiling during thunderbolt and follow the basic anti-lighting strikes rules.
