Odisha Government set up an Expert Body to ascertain the reason for high incidence of lightning.

2. Odisha Government set up an Expert Body to
ascertain the reason for high incidence of
lightning in the state, where on an average 400
people are dying in a year and at least 257
people have been killed due to it so far this year.

3. An average of 400 people die due to lightning per
year in Odisha. The expert committee will
assertain the rise in the lightning incidents in the
State," Revenue and Disaster Management
Minister Maheswar Mohanty chaired a high level
meeting in which the decision on the committee
was taken.

4. Lightning casualty rate is the highest in Odisha,
which recorded 401 lightning deaths in 2015-16
and 398 deaths in 2016-17, Special Relief
Commissioner (SRC) Bishnupada Sethi
revealed.

5. He said that a total of 2,000 deaths were
being reported in the country every year.

6. SRC said the victims of lightning are mostly farmers who
work in open fields and suggested awareness campaign to
reduce the casualty rate. The Committee will comprise
officials of Odisha State Disaster Management Authority
(OSDMA) and Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) office.

7. "The officials of OSDMA and SRC will
conduct a detailed study and analysis of
the postmortem reports of the persons
killed in the lightning," he said.

8. SRC Mr.Sethi said that apart from postmortem reports, a
detailed analysis will be done regarding the timing of deaths
and place whether urban or rural so as to chalk out a
comprehensive strategy. He said lightning incidents are more
frequent from May to August (about 71 per cent) and occur
more in coastal belts.

9. in the state. High occurrence of lightning has
been reported from Mayurbhanj, Ganjam,
Keonjhar, Sundergarh, Cuttack, Balasore,
Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Khurda and Nayagarh.

10. The district education officers have acted pro-actively to affix
awareness posters at important places like schools, gram
panchayats, AWCs, ANM centres, bus stands, railway
stations, veterinary dispensaries, MCS/MFS, etc. Awareness
was also spread through various vernacular television
channels and All India Radio involving experts from India
Meteorological Department, Odisha State Disaster Mitigation
Authority and Special Relief Commissioner office in July-
August 2017 including live shows.

11. Lightning has been declared as a State Specific Disaster from
April 1, 2015. The ex-gratia payment to families of victims has
been fixed at Rs 4 lakh by the State government while the
compensation for loss of limb or eye (s) is Rs 59,000 per
person when the disability is between 40pc to 60 pc and Rs 2
lakh per person when the disability is more than 60 pc.
Besides, victims who require hospitalization for more than a
week are eligible for Rs 12,700 while those who need to be
admitted in a hospital for less than a week are given Rs 4,300.

12. Those The ex-gratia also includes milch animals. Who lose
milch animals including buffalo, cow, camen, yak, etc are
given Rs 30,000 while those who lose sheep, goat, pig are
given Rs 3,000. The compensation for draught animals
including camel, horse, bullock, etc is Rs 25,000 while the ex-
gratia for loss of calf, donkey, pony or mule has been fixed at
Rs 16,000.

13. SRC has issued lightning safety tips. The safety tips for persons who are outdoors
during lightning include finding shelter in building (not canopy), avoiding high
ground and avoiding machinery. Besides activities like flying kites, swimming,
carrying umbrella, getting inside a car, bus, standing under tall objects, avoiding
open areas should be avoided during lightning. Crouching down and covering
ears is one of the ways to avoid getting hit by lightning. People who are indoors
should stay away from windows, refrain from using telephone, avoid bathing,
avoid leaning on walls, avoid electronic equipment, avoid washing dishes and
unplug electronic appliances.

14. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), in a release
stated the 30/30 rule to avoid getting hit by lightning. The rule
involves seeking shelter if the time between lightning flash
and the rumble of thunder is 30 seconds or less. Activities
should be resumed until 30 seconds after the last audible
thunder. Besides, after one sees lightning, he/she should
count the number of second until one hears thunder.

15. The number of seconds should be divided by 5 to get the
distance in miles to the lightning flash. The safest place
during lightning is indoors or in a vehicle. A single stroke of
lightning involves current as great as 1,00,000 amperes
which is more than sufficient to electrocute both animals and
human beings. The speed of lght is 3,00,000,000 meters per
second while the speed of thunder/sound is 340 meters per
second.

16. The IMD release said that the warning signals of
lightning makes hair stand and tingling of skin.
Standing upright may act as a lightning rod and
should be avoided.

17. Thank You
For More Information Please Visit:-
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