The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Deaths due to lightning: a worrisome factor

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Sunday, Aug 05, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Deaths due to lightning: a worrisome factor

S. Harpal Singh

Adilabad reported eleven deaths this year
13 deaths between March-September reported last year

ADILABAD: Death of as many as 11 persons caused by lightning and thunderbolt strikes in Adilabad district during last two months should make it imperative that some study is undertaken to pin point the causes and devise logical prevention mechanisms.

Over the past few years, Adilabad district recorded high incidence of deaths due to lightning and thunderbolt strikes.

The district has over 40 per cent of its area under forest cover which also makes it prone to natural occurrences like the lightning strikes. Lightning and thunderbolt, that are a result of atmospheric perturbations, usually start occurring during the mid summer season.

Turmoil

Last year, 13 deaths were reported between March and September.

Of these, four deaths occurred in the month of May, apparently because of the atmospheric ‘turmoil’ experienced then.

Though there was no great cloud activity during June and July this year, six and seven deaths were recorded during these months respectively.

According to experts, the cloud to ground lightning type is termed as one of the most destructive and frequently occurring phenomena in areas under cover of thick vegetation.

Strong electrical discharge from a cumulonimbus cloud looks for a conductor which is found either in a tree or in the ‘less resistant’ human being taking shelter underneath it.

Three types

There are three types of strikes which can destroy life and property.

A hit from ‘splash’, from some nearby object as in the case of the less resistant human being or farm animal can be equally fatal like a ‘direct hit’.

The third type is the ground strike which can be fatal for those humans and animals that are not adequately ‘insulated’.

Safety factor

Some times, a teak tree can also become a safety factor for buildings standing near it. The taller among teak trees attract the electrical discharge from the atmosphere and the root system which is spread wide rather than deep helps dissipate the lightning charge, thereby saving buildings that are located in the vicinity.

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