Lightning
Kartavya Desk Staff
Source: TW
Context: 13 people were killed by lightning strikes across Bihar in the past 24 hours. The Bihar government announced Rs 4 lakh ex-gratia for each bereaved family and urged citizens to follow safety guidelines.
About Lightning:
• What is Lightning? A natural electrostatic discharge caused by static electricity build-up in thunderstorm clouds. Generates extreme heat (~50,000°F), rapidly expanding air, causing thunder.
• A natural electrostatic discharge caused by static electricity build-up in thunderstorm clouds.
• Generates extreme heat (~50,000°F), rapidly expanding air, causing thunder.
• India’s Vulnerable Regions: Eastern and Northeastern states: Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Assam. Parts of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and hill regions are also prone.
• Eastern and Northeastern states: Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Assam.
• Parts of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and hill regions are also prone.
• Principles Behind Occurrence: Charge Separation in Clouds: Inside thunderclouds, colliding water droplets, ice crystals, and hailstones create separation of electric charges—positive charges rise to the top, while negative charges accumulate at the bottom. Electrostatic Build-Up: The earth’s surface becomes positively charged in response to the cloud’s negative base, further intensifying the electrical potential. Threshold Breach: When the electric field strength exceeds the insulating capacity of the air, the energy discharges violently as lightning, balancing the charge difference. Path of Discharge: The discharge can travel cloud-to-cloud, intra-cloud, or ground-to-cloud, producing a sudden flash of light and a shockwave heard as thunder.
• Charge Separation in Clouds: Inside thunderclouds, colliding water droplets, ice crystals, and hailstones create separation of electric charges—positive charges rise to the top, while negative charges accumulate at the bottom.
• Electrostatic Build-Up: The earth’s surface becomes positively charged in response to the cloud’s negative base, further intensifying the electrical potential.
• Threshold Breach: When the electric field strength exceeds the insulating capacity of the air, the energy discharges violently as lightning, balancing the charge difference.
• Path of Discharge: The discharge can travel cloud-to-cloud, intra-cloud, or ground-to-cloud, producing a sudden flash of light and a shockwave heard as thunder.
• Significance of the Hazard: Lightning is one of India’s leading natural disaster killers, especially affecting farmers, labourers, and outdoor workers. On average, lightning causes over 2,000 deaths annually in India. It impacts agriculture, rural livelihoods, and contributes to climate vulnerability.
• Lightning is one of India’s leading natural disaster killers, especially affecting farmers, labourers, and outdoor workers.
• On average, lightning causes over 2,000 deaths annually in India.
• It impacts agriculture, rural livelihoods, and contributes to climate vulnerability.
• Key Initiatives Taken in India: Damini App (IITM): Sends real-time lightning alerts within a 40-minute window based on location. Lightning Detection Network (LLN) and Doppler radars monitor lightning strikes. IMD forecasts: Provide nowcast (2-3 hrs), short-range (1-3 days), and medium-range alerts. Lightning Resilient India Campaign (CROPC & IMD): Targets 80% reduction in deaths through rural education. NDMA guidelines: Advise states on mapping risk zones, data sharing, and safety infrastructure.
• Damini App (IITM): Sends real-time lightning alerts within a 40-minute window based on location.
• Lightning Detection Network (LLN) and Doppler radars monitor lightning strikes.
• IMD forecasts: Provide nowcast (2-3 hrs), short-range (1-3 days), and medium-range alerts.
• Lightning Resilient India Campaign (CROPC & IMD): Targets 80% reduction in deaths through rural education.
• NDMA guidelines: Advise states on mapping risk zones, data sharing, and safety infrastructure.