The number of lightning strikes in India is continuously increasing and becoming increasingly unpredictable, resulting in nearly 1,900 fatalities each year.
Scientists warn that climate change is alarmingly raising the number of fatal lightning strikes in India, leading to nearly 1,900 deaths annually in this most populous country in the world.
Lightning strikes are becoming more frequent in India – (Photo: AFP).
According to a study led by Fakir Mohan University in Odisha, Eastern India, lightning has caused 101,309 deaths from 1967 to 2020, with a significant increase noted during the period from 2010 to 2020.
Data also shows that the average annual fatalities per state in India rose from 38 cases between 1967 and 2002 to 61 cases between 2003 and 2020, a period during which the country’s population rapidly grew to 1.4 billion.
The authors of the study suggest that the number of lightning strikes in India is continuously increasing and this phenomenon is becoming more unpredictable, becoming one of the leading causes of fatalities due to natural disasters exacerbated by climate change.
Lightning frequently occurs in India during the monsoon season from June to September each year, but scientists believe that the frequency is increasing due to rising global temperatures, resulting in a series of extreme weather events.
The report published in the international journal Environment, Development and Sustainability also indicates that the high number of fatalities from lightning strikes in India is partly due to ineffective early warning systems and a lack of risk mitigation strategies.
The report notes that data on lightning strike fatalities recorded in India shows “an increasing trend, with the last two decades recording the highest increase”, reflecting “alarming developments.”
Furthermore, the report states that the increasing trend of extreme weather conditions is likely to exacerbate the situation, thus “urgent” policy changes are needed to mitigate impacts.