THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Lightning is a brilliant spectacle, but the deaths and destruction it often leaves behind give the giant spark a dangerous image. The atmospheric phenomenon, which used to occur in the state only for a brief period of time, is an everyday sight now. The lightning-related incidents and resultant damage in the state have increased from 3,000 to 67,000 in the last two years, according to the data compiled by the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA).
Pathanamthitta alone had close to 10,000 such incidents last year. A recent study said Meenachil taluk in Kottayam recorded the maximum lightning in a year. With lightning-related incidents on the rise, experts call for alerts and other steps to minimise damage.“Kerala is moving into a multi-hazard-prone area, be it rain, flood or thunderstorm. Lightning is one of the major hazards, we now get it in 10 months of a year,” said Abhilash S, associate professor, Department of Atmospheric Sciences at Cochin University.
“Earlier the lightning period was restricted to pre-monsoon and post-monsoon period. Now even during the monsoon, we get clouds that can cause lightning. The intensity and frequency of lightning have increased,” he said.As per a 2016 study conducted by the National Centre for Earth Science Studies, 71 people die in the state due to lightning strikes annually. The mortality has come down over the years to 80 in five years, but the economic losses to people and sectors have only increased.
The state government had made lightning a state-specific disaster in 2015. The KSMDA too has come out with a Kerala State Lightning Action Plan after much deliberations. “The action plan is a reference guide to reduce the risk of lightning by the public, NGOs and government. It will help in creating awareness and measures to be taken to address the issue,” said Fahad Marzook, hazard analyst at KSDMA. “We are planning to give accurate alerts about the arrival of a storm in a region 30 minutes in advance,” he added.