As lightning accounts for one of the biggest natural disasters in State with an average of 130 people dying every year due to natural disasters, the Department of Disaster Management is going to launch a mobile app that predicts lightning strike and thunderstorms in advance and sends location-specific warning to mobile users to protect them from the natural disasters.
After the monsoon break in State, in first lightning death this session on Thursday around 14 persons were killed and 18 others suffered injuries after lightning struck at different parts of State. In Palamu, Latehar districts five persons were killed and same number were injured. Similarly in Gumla/Lohardaga four persons were killed and one person suffered injuries. Reports of death of persons from Bokaro and Jamshedpur were also reported.
However, the disaster management department is yet to find out the exact number of casualties. State Disaster Management Authority joint secretary, Manish Kumar Tewari said, “Till now the department has not received the exact number of casualties due to lightning. Once we get the figure, the department will provide compensation to the victims.” However, Tewari claimed that as prevention is better than cure, the department is going to introduce the system through which the casualties are minimized. In this connection, the department is planning to introduce the system of sending lightning alerts to people.
Tewari said, “The department is going to install Doppler Radar which will help in making analysis on lightning such as when the lightning strike its detection with exact location, time, type and strength.”
“Though Doppler radars, there will be location based information about the lightning to strike within 2 km radius. Once the location of lightning is available, the alert SMSs about lightning will be sent to all mobile subscribers within the 2 km radius,” added Tewari.
The alert will be sent to mobile users 45 minutes before the lightning strikes by displaying information in different colours. An alert in red indicates that the user is in danger zone with 90 per cent probability of lightning within the area. Orange shows the possible occurrence of the strike within 5 km radius and yellow in 15 km radius.
The idea behind sending SMSs is to create awareness about the lightning so that people can take preventive measures. As per disaster management guidelines during lightning it is always advisable that a person stays in home or take shelter in a concrete structure. Also it is advisable not to take shelter under the tree, avoid water bodies such as lake, river on pond during lightning.