THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Another lightning season typical of the northeast monsoon has arrived. Yet the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) is dragging its feet on implementing a lightning alert system. Though the government has sanctioned the funds and ground-level testing was carried out, the KSDMA is yet to roll out the new system which could help in avoiding the risk of being struck by a lightning. According to sources, the new alert system is unlikely to be available this season.
Already a couple of lightning casualties have been reported in the past one week. At least six people were injured and houses damaged in different incidents. However the KSDMA is continuing with its routine general lightning alerts, even though it had announced its plans to roll out an alert system that accurately gives an alert 30 minutes before the lightning strikes.
KSDMA has tied up with the US-based Earth Networks for lightning and thunderstorm alerts. It has also installed four sensors of the private company and a pilot ground report found 87% efficacy in the alerts generated. However red tape has delayed the rollout.
“We will be able to finalise the processes and start the pilot implementation within two weeks. The plan is to start an accurate alert system with the support of emergency response teams in panchayats,” said Fahad Marzook, hazard analyst of KSDMA. He agreed that a full rollout will take more time.
According to him, the agency has been careful to provide accurate information to gain acceptance by people who are not familiar with the SMS-based alerts.The first priority is to provide dangerous thunderstorm alerts (DTAs) to the public.
The state gets more lightning during pre-monsoon period (April to May) and during the northeast monsoon season starting from October. At present KSDMA uses Damini app promoted by India Meteorological Department.
Kerala is one of the major states affected by lightning though the lightning deaths have reduced in the past with better awareness and development. As per a study conducted by National Centre for Earth Science Studies in 2016, 71 people die from being struck by lightning annually in the state. The mortality has come down over the years to 80 in five years, but the economic losses to people and sectors have only increased.
Lightning incidents and damages due to it has increased from 3000 in 2020 to 67,000 in 2021. Pathanamthitta alone had close to 10,000 such incidents last year.
The state government has made lightning a state-specific disaster in 2015. The KSMDA also came out with a Kerala State Lightning Action Plan after much deliberations.