Lightning Safety Awareness and Protective Measures in Bangladesh. This presentation covers the topics Facts and Figures of lightning Understanding Thunder-storm and Lightning Lightning Safety Outdoors Lightning Safety Indoors Lightning Safety & Sport Activities Medical Effects on Lightning Victims Initiatives on Lightning Safety to Government and BDRCS Plan and Protect yourself from Lightning Strikes

1. Lightning Safety Awareness Session
Conducted by Md Osman Goni

2. Topics to be covered by the Session
 Facts and Figures of lightning
 Understanding Thunder-storm and Lightning
 Lightning Safety Outdoors
 Lightning Safety Indoors
 Lightning Safety & Sport Activities
 Medical Effects on Lightning Victims
 Initiatives on Lightning Safety to Government
and BDRCS
 Plan and Protect yourself from Lightning Strikes

3. Lightning facts and statistics
• Lightning strikes the Earth more than 100 times per second e.g per
day more than 8600000 times
• Only 10 – 20% of lightning hits the ground
• the peak power of a single lightning strike is a
staggering 1,000,000,000,000 watts! And can power the whole
USA for 20 minutes.
• the Democratic Republic of Congo and Lake Maracaibo in north
western Venezuela are the places on the planet where lightning
strikes the most.
• One estimate is that 24,000 people are killed by lightning strikes
around the world each year and about 240,000 are injured.
Source: Internet

4. Lightning Strike Awareness and Protective Measures in Bangladesh
Course Title: Thesis
Course No. DM 5247
A Dissertation for the Degree of Master of Science in Disaster Management
by
Md. Osman Goni
Class Roll No. 404, 4th Batch
Master of Science in Disaster Management
Department of Geography and Environment
University of Dhaka
June 2015

5. 0
200
400
600
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
217
150
219
100
76
134
179
301 285
420
NoofInjuries&deaths
Year
Fig-1: Fatal Lightning Incidents by
Year (2010-2014)
Injury
Death

6. 0%
20%
40%
60%
43%
22%
14% 12% 9%
Fatalitiesby%
Place
Fig-2: Lightning fatalities by Place

7. 0%
20%
40%
60%
Farmer Student Fisher Other
56%
10%
14%
20%
Fatalitiesby%
Profession
Fig-3: Lightning Fatalities by Profession

8. 0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Day/Night 12am-3pm
(day)
3pm-6pm
(Day)
81%
48%
33%
19%
Fatalitiesby%
Time
Fig-4: Lightning Fatalities by Time
Day
Night

9. 0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
39%
17% 16% 15% 13%
Fatalitiesby%
District
Fig-5: Lightning Fatalities by District

10. Understanding the basic of lightning

12. When a Safe Location is not Nearby
• Avoid open fields, the top of a hill or roof top.
• Stay away from tall, isolated trees or other tall
objects.
• If you are in a forest, stay near a lower stand of
trees.
• If you are in a group, spread out to avoid the
current traveling between group members.
• Stay away from water, wet items, such as ropes,
and metal objects, such as fences and poles.

13. Avoid open field and water

14. Stay away from tall, isolated trees

16. If in forest, shelter under small tree

17. How far do you take place from tree?

18. Avoid the top place

19. Avoid waterbodies

20. Do not stay in group

21. Do not run in a group

22. Be separated from one another

23. Do not lie on the ground

24. When in indoors, lightning can also travel through any
metal wires or bars in concrete walls or flooring
• Stay off corded phones. You can use cellular or cordless phones.
• Don't touch electrical equipment such as computers, TVs, or cords. You
can remote controls safety.
• Avoid plumbing. Do not wash your hands, take a shower or wash dishes.
• Stay away from windows and doors that might have small leaks around the
sides to let in lightning, and stay off porches.
• Do not lie on concrete floors or lean againt concrete walls.
• Protect your pets: Dog houses are not safe shelters. Dogs that are chained
to trees or on metal runners are particularly vulnerable to lightning strikes.
• Protect your property: Lightning generates electric surges that can
damage electronic equipment some distance from the actual strike.
Typical surge protectors will not protect equipment from a lightning
strike. Do not unplug equipment during a thunderstorm as there is a risk
you could be struck.

25. If possible avoid straw made house

26. Do not hold window during lightning

27. Do not bath during lightning

28. Do not lie on the floor

29. Do not operate computer connected with electricity

30. Unplugged mobile is safe but plugged not

31. Medical Effects on Lightning
• Cardiac attest
• Serious burn
• Nerve injury
• Dizziness, balance problems
• Long and delay problems

32. Human body does not carry electricity

33. Burns a major effect of lightning

34. If needed, provide shock first aid

35. Two kinds of medical tests
In consultation with medical specialist doctors-
• X-ray, CT scan and MRIs or
blood count measurement.
• Neuropsychological testing for
brain injuries.

36. Initiatives to Lightning Safety
• Bangladesh Government
• Bangladesh Red Crescent Society

37. Government Initiatives
• Declare ‘Lightning’ as
Disaster
• Lightning detective
sensors in eight places
• Messages dissemination
from Ministry of
Disaster and Relief, Fire
Service and Civil
Defense, Metrological
Department
• Plantation palm trees
• Leaflets distribution

38. BDRCS Initiatives..

39. Plan and Project from Lightning Strikes
• Lightning Safety Structure
• The 30/30 Rules
• Seeing or Feeling Lightning Attacking
• Lightning Safety Position

42. Start lightning research after this

43. Lightning safety Position

44. “বাইরে যদি পরে বাজ
ঘরে থাকাই ভাল কাজ”
Thank You