Vishakapatnam: Despite improvement in technology and weather forecasting, lightning is killing an average of 100 people every year in Andhra Pradesh. Coastal areas usually witness maximum lighting strikes, owing to its proximity to sea.
Lightning has remained one of the largest causes of deaths due to natural disasters in the country for the past two decades. It is largely preventable as advance information is disseminated.
In Andhra Pradesh, 377 persons were killed due to lightning between 2018 and 2021, according to NCRB data on accidental deaths. While a large part of these deaths were in rural pockets, 5 to 6 per cent were in urban settings, the report said.
At least six of ten deaths were of those taking shelter under trees in heavy rain, thunder, and lightning. They were electrocuted when trees were struck by lightning.
In May-2018, 14 persons were killed in lightning across AP in a single day, probably the highest number of deaths due to lightning. In April-2020, 10 persons were killed in lightning in three districts in a single day, as per the AP state disaster management authority.
On Saturday, three farmers were killed in Vizianagaram district by lightning. Lightning strikes not only take the lives of humans but also kill wild-animals and livestock, injure people and cause substantial damage to property.
Experts say people sheltering in pucca structures are best protected against lightning.
Lightning deaths are largely preventable. The disaster management authority, through its mobile application, has been sending alerts on lighting strikes to lakhs of mobile phone subscribers in the state. Though people receive these alerts in the region of lightning at least 45 minutes in advance, such deaths kept happening in the state, as “people failed to take proper safety measures,” the authority said.
Farmers however fail to get alerts as they keep working in the fields, it is noted.
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