Sharp rise in deaths by lightning strikes

Bangladesh's excessive population density and people's increased exposure to outdoor activities like agriculture have resulted in a considerable increase of deaths due to lightning strikes, found a recent study.

In the country, lightning strikes killed over 300 people in 2021; the number was 244 in 2020, 198 in 2019, and 359 in 2018, it revealed.

Lightning strikes are most common during the pre-monsoon period in haor areas, such as Netrakona, Kishoreganj, Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Sunamganj and Sylhet, while during monsoon, they occur in Sunamganj, Faridpur, Madaripur, Manikganj, Tangail, Barishal, Rangpur, Panchagarh, and Dinajpur, it said.

The study, titled "Spatial and temporal analysis of Lightning, Reason and Way Forward", also found that fatalities in non-farming locations and during non-farming activities have been higher in the past few years, even though such locations and activities were regarded as the most common risk factors.

Ashraf Dewan -- professor at School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, Australia -- shared the findings yesterday at a webinar organised by Save The Environment Movement.

He said to reduce loss of lives, it is necessary to create public awareness, so people know what to do during lightning strikes.

The local administration can inform people in the short-run, while for a long-term plan, information on personal and family safety during lightning strikes

should be included in educational curricula, he further said.

"We must stay away from water or any object that conducts electricity," he added.

Dr Kabirul Bashar, president of Save the Society and Thunderstorm Awareness Forum; Abu Naser Khan, chairperson of Save The Environment Movement; Dr Sultana Shafi, retired physics professor of Dhaka University; among others, spoke at the event, moderated by MA Wahed, secretary of Save The Environment Movement.