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The variety of deaths because of lightning strikes diminished by practically 37 per cent, from 2,800 deaths between April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2019 to 1,771 throughout the identical interval in 2019-20, based on a report revealed on Thursday by the Climate Resilient Observing Systems Promotion Council (CROPC) — a non-profit organisation that works carefully with India Meteorological Department.
The report has identified a number of loopholes within the authorities’s strategy in the direction of the issue whereas praising sure measures taken by the authorities.
According to the report, lightning-linked fatalities fashioned 33 per cent of complete deaths in pure disasters, based on information for the corresponding interval in 2019-20.
Several interventions have been behind the decline, the report mentioned, including that greater than 60 per cent of deaths in lightning incidents in 2019-20 have been reported from Uttar Pradesh (293), Madhya Pradesh (248), Bihar (221), Odisha (200) and Jharkhand (172). It mentioned Odisha noticed over 11.20 lakh lightning strikes however solely 200 casualties. “During Cyclone Fani, the state saw more than one lakh intense lightning strikes on May 3 and May 4 in 2019. More than 1.2 million people were evacuated to cyclone shelters. Odisha had zero casualty, mainly due to all 891 cyclone shelters being fitted with Lightning Arresters,” mentioned the report.
Need for scientific strategy
Lightning strikes round a set interval and nearly related geographical places in related patterns. The report factors out the necessity to have improved forecasting programs and lightning safety gadgets in place to keep away from casualties. It additionally stresses the necessity to notify these fatalities as a catastrophe with a view to have a extra complete strategy throughout states.
It states that regardless of the casualties, the Centre has not notified lightning as a catastrophe, and suggests a number of measures to alleviate the issue. “Early lightning warning to farmers, cattle grazers, children and people in open areas is key. Second is implementing a local lightning safety action plan like installing Lightning Protection Devices. It is important to bring out lightning fatalities as a disaster to prevent losses,” the report mentioned.
Col (retired) Sanjay Kumar Srivastava, CROPC Chairperson and Convener of the Lightning Resilient Campaign, mentioned the NDMA has issued complete pointers for motion plans to states, however numerous losses present that the implementation wants a extra “scientific and focused community-centric approach”, apart from convergence of assorted departments. “Lightning being the biggest killer and having severe impact on infrastructure, it is time that lightning is notified as a disaster,” he mentioned.
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