According to government statistics, between 1967 and 2019, there have been more than one lakh deaths due to lightning in India. Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Jharkhand are the states where maximum number of lightning incidents have occurred in the recent years.
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Wherever lightning strikes in the country i.e. thunderclap When an incident happens, it brings a big disaster there. Sometimes someone’s house gets destroyed and sometimes someone’s green crops become special by burning. Sometimes it also causes loss of life and property on a large scale. Delhi based RMSI According to a study by Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Jharkhand are the states where maximum lightning incidents have occurred in recent years.
This is the reason why all the states have demanded to declare lightning as a natural disaster. These states have told the central government that the number of deaths due to lightning in the country is more than the number of deaths due to other natural calamities.
The death toll from lightning is shocking
According to a report by the Lightning Resilient India Campaign, 18.5 million people in India have experienced lightning between April 2020 and March 2021. It kills more than 2,500 people every year in the country.
According to government statistics, between 1967 and 2019, there have been more than one lakh deaths due to lightning in India. More than one-third of the deaths due to natural calamities have occurred during this period.
What will be the benefit of declaring disaster?
By declaring lightning as a natural calamity, the affected states will be able to get financial assistance. This will help ensure that the state is able to respond effectively to power-related disasters.
Lightning strikes in India not only cause a large number of deaths but also cause huge damage to property and infrastructure. It needs better preparedness, early warning system and better measures to reduce the impact of lightning.
Which incidents come under the category of disaster?
Currently only certain types of disasters are covered under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).SDRF), through which financial assistance is given to the states in case of disaster. They include cyclone, drought, earthquake, fire, flood, tsunami, hailstorm, landslide, avalanche, cloud burst, insect attack, frost and cold wave.
SDRF is funded by both the state and central governments, with the central government providing 75% of the funds. But incidents of lightning do not come under SDRF.
How is lightning generated?
Lightning is a natural phenomenon that occurs between a cloud and the ground or within a cloud. It is accompanied by flashes of lightning, loud noises and sometimes splashes of thunder. In this, cloud-to-ground lightning is dangerous because its high voltage and current engulf people.
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