The SOA University’s Centre for Environment and Climate (CEC) with the support of the State Government and in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune and Earth Networks, USA, has installed lightning detectors at 11 different places in the State’s lightning-prone areas.
CEC director Dr SC Sahu addressing at the ‘International Conference on Thunderstorm and Lightning in Tropics (ICTLT)’ held here on Friday said technology would now be able to provide a solution to the scourge of lightning by the detectors.
He said 11 lightning detectors have been installed in Cuttack, Panikoili, Keonjhar, Rourkela, Balangir, Jeypore and Brahmapur, Bhubaneswar, Sambalpur, Baleswar and Rayagada.
He mentioned that lightning accounts for around 400 deaths annually in the State and the death toll due to lightning had registered an increase in last three to four years in which the victims are mostly farm workers.