Lightning Strike Awareness and Protective Measures in Bangladesh

Lightning Strike Awareness & Protective Measures in Bangladesh_ Thesis Paper_Osman_Roll-404_MSDM_DU Page 1
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

This is to certify that this paper has been accomplished by Md. Osman having roll
no. 404, 4th Batch under my supervision.
Supervisor
________________
Dr. A. M. M. Amanat Ullah Khan
Professor and course teacher of MSDM
University of Dhaka
Candidate
_________________
Md. Osman Goni
Roll No. 404, 4th Batch
Master of Science in Disaster Management
University of Dhaka
June 2015

TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS…………………………………………………………………………………………………………I
ABSTRACT…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...II
LIST OF FIGURES………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...III
LIST OF TABLES………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….III
CHAPTER 1: BACKGROUND AND SIGNIFICANCE--------------------------------------------------------1-5
1.1 Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………………...1
1.2 Physics of lightning………………………………………………………………………………...2-3
1.3 Effects of lightning………………………………………………………………………………….3-4
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW-----------------------------------------------------------------------5-11
2.2 Locations and objects more at risk to lightning strikes…………………………….5-6
2.3 Education and awareness about lightning strikes…………………………………….6-8
2.4 Lightning protection measures used by institutions………………………………...8-9
2.5 First assistance to victims following lightning strikes…………………………….9-10
2.6 Folk beliefs among common people about lightning strikes………………….10-11
CHAPTER 3: MATERIALS AND METHODS--------------------------------------------------------------11-12
3.1 Secondary data collection procedures………………………………………………………11
3.2 Primary data collection procedures…………………………………………………………12
CHAPTER 4: DATA PRESENTATION, RESULTS AND DISCUSSION--------------------------------12-20
4.1 Primary data analysis & results…………………………………………………………..12-16
4.2 Experts’ views on increasing lightning…………….…………………………………..17-18
4.3 Results and discussion………………………………………………………………………..18-20
CHAPTER 5: RECOMMENDATIONS WITH LIGHTNING AWARENESS & SAFETY MEASURE 20-36
5.1 Summary…………………………………………………………………………………………...20-21
5.2 Recommendations……………………………………………………………………………...21-22
5.3 Lightning awareness and safety measures…………………………………………..22-36
5.4 Concluding remarks………………………………………………………………………………...36
REFERENCE LIST--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------37-38
APPENDIX-A---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------38-40

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank Dr. A. M. M. Amanat Ullah Khan, Professor
and Course teacher of MSDM, Dept. of Geography and Environment,
University of Dhaka, for his guidance and advice throughout the
project. Thanks are also due to Disaster Forum, a Dhaka-based
network on disaster preparedness and risk reduction, for collecting
and providing the lightning data.

Abstract
Bangladesh is one of the highest global fatalities due to lightning strike and it claimed lives
of over 250 people every year. In recent years Bangladesh is at an increased risk to the
hazard of lightning due to the frequency of the lightning strikes. Despite the fact that rapid
death occurs due to lightning incidents, why people are still not ready to make a response to
lightning strikes will mainly be the central question of the research and strive to find out the
answer of it.
The research aims at increasing knowledge and building awareness among masses by
supporting strategies that enable them to prepare for and response to lightning strikes. The
study sought to determine the following questions:
1. What locations and objects are more at risk to lightning strikes and the factors that
affect them?
2. What level of education and awareness in individuals and families and responders
about lightning strikes make them more or less vulnerable?
3. What protection measures are used by organization that can assist in preventing or
reducing hazardous effects of lightning strikes to either or both humans and
properties?
4. How will people provide first aid assistance to a victim following a lightning strike?
5. What knowledge and folk believes are among common people about lightning strike?
Literature review to the subject matter was used as research procedures in this study. Apart
from this a questionnaire with specific 29 questions was constructed relating to the research
questions in order to collect first-hand information. Interviews were conducted teachers and
officials to understand their knowledge and practice in lightning strikes. Results of the research
supported the recommendations to reduce the hazard risk associated with lightning making the
community, educational institutions and workplace safer.

LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES
LIST OF FIGURES------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------12-13
Fig-1: Fatal Lightning Incidents by Year (2010-2014)/12
Fig-2: Lightning fatalities by Place/12
Fig-3: Lightning Fatalities by Profession/13
Fig-4: Lightning Fatalities by Time/13
Fig-5: Lightning Fatalities by District/13
LIST OF TABLES--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------14-15
Table-1: Result of education and awareness of lightning strike disasters specific to
research question [2]/14
Table-2: Result of protection measures are used by organizations from lightning strike
disasters specific to research question [3]/14
Table-3: Result of how to safely provide first aid assistance to a victim following a
lightning strike and knowledge and folk beliefs in lightning strike disasters specific to
research question [4] and [5]/14-15

CHAPTER 1: BACKGROUND AND SIGNIFICANCE
1.4 Introduction
Lightning, which is alarming and beneficial too, without thunderstorms and lightning the
earth-atmosphere electrical balance would disappear in 5 minutes, examined by The
National Severe Storms Laboratory in USA. Lightning has also played a part of many early
myths, religions, superstations and recently science over the years.
Despite having scientifically advanced, people are still amazed by lightning even though they
now know much about it and its characteristics. Study finding showed that in total number
of deaths and injuries by lighting are more than those of any other disasters. However,
there has been little systematic collection of information on lightning deaths in many
regions of the world. Holle and López (2003) made an assessment of the worldwide impact
of lightning, and concluded that 24,000 deaths and 240,000 injuries occur per year. Experts
believe the reported number of deaths and injuries due to lightning would be more the
figure mentioned above if the strong and standardised reporting system would be place
worldwide. Many of the deaths, injuries and property damages may have been prevented if
some common lightning awareness and safety measures were taken by the victims.
Every year lightning strikes cause huge economic damage and losses, personal injuries and
deaths, but less attention pays towards when compared to the floods and cyclones in
Bangladesh. According to the statistics of Disaster Forum, a Dhaka-based network on
disaster preparedness and risk reduction,
In Bangladesh, every year at least 263 people get killed by lightning strikes, according to the
Newspapers survey report complied to the last five years’ news from 2010-2014. The actual
number is much higher since many incidents go unreported. However, people in cities are
relatively safer than the ones in rural areas. The survey suggests that the majority of
lightning-strike victims are farmers (56%), and most of them had died while working in
their fields. Some (10%) are students -- who were struck on their way to or from school.
According to the study, staying indoors during a thunderstorm may not guarantee safety in
rural areas. In fact, 22% of those killed were inside their houses when they were struck. So
be careful in the months of April, May and June, when lightning related deaths are the
highest. The safest time is November to February with just one recorded death in five years.
The study has also found that (81%) of the people who had died were struck between
6:00am and 6:00pm. Some districts seem to be more prone to lightning strikes. The highest

number of deaths was recorded in Chapainawabganj (39%), followed by Kishoreganj (17%),
Lalmonirhat (16%), Sunamganj (15%), Satkhira (13%) deaths.
Another study reports show that actual numbers of causalities by lightning strikes are most
like higher as most cases go unreported and they assume that this level could be crossed
more than 1000 deaths per year in Bangladesh. Despite the fact that rapid death occurs due
to lightning incidents, why people are still not ready to make a response to lightning strikes
will mainly be the central question of the research and strive to find out the answer of it.
The research aims at increasing knowledge and building awareness among masses by
supporting strategies that enable them to prepare for and response to lightning strikes. The
study sought to address the following questions:
6. What locations and objects are more at risk to lightning strikes and the factors that
affect them?
7. What level of education and awareness in individuals and families and responders
about lightning strikes make them more or less vulnerable?
8. What protection measures are used by organization that can assist in preventing or
properties?
9. How will people provide first aid assistance to a victim following a lightning strike?
10. What knowledge and folk believes are among common people about lightning strike?
1.5 Physics of lightning
All thunderstorms go through stages of growth, development, electrification and dissipation.
Thunderstorms often begin to develop early in the day when the sun heats the air near the
ground and pockets of warmer air start to rise in the atmosphere. When these pockets of air
reach a certain level in the atmosphere, cumulus clouds start to form. Continued heating
causes these clouds to grow vertically into the atmosphere. These "towering cumulus"
clouds may be one of the first signs of a developing thunderstorm. The final stage of
development occurs as the top of the cloud becomes anvil-shaped.
As a thunderstorm cloud grows, precipitation forms within the cloud. A well-developed
thunderstorm cloud contains mostly small ice crystals in the upper levels of the cloud, a
mixture of small ice crystals and small hail in the middle levels of the cloud, and a mixture of
rain and melting hail in the lower levels of the cloud. Air movements and collisions between
the various types of precipitation in the middle of the cloud cause the precipitation particles

to become charged. The lighter ice crystals become positively charged and are carried
upward into the upper part of the storm by rising air.
The heavier hail becomes negatively charged and is either suspended by the rising air or
falls toward the lower part of the storm. These collisions and air movements cause the top of
the thunderstorm cloud to become positively charged and the middle and lower part of the
storm to become negatively charged.
In addition, a small positive charge develops near the bottom of the thunderstorm cloud.
The negative charge in the middle of thunderstorm cloud causes the ground underneath to
become positively charged, and the positively charged anvil causes the ground under the
anvil to become negatively charged.
Lightning is a giant spark of electricity in the atmosphere or between the atmosphere and
the ground. In the initial stages of development, air acts as an insulator between the positive
and negative charges in the cloud and between the cloud and the ground; however, when
the differences in charges becomes too great, this insulating capacity of the air breaks down
and there is a rapid discharge of electricity that we know as lightning.
Lightning can occur between opposite charges within the thunderstorm cloud (Intra Cloud
Lightning) or between opposite charges in the cloud and on the ground (Cloud-To-Ground
Lightning). Cloud-to-ground lightning is divided two different types of flashes depending on
the charge in the cloud where the lightning originates.
Thunder is the sound made by a flash of lightning. As lightning passes through the air it
heats the air quickly. This causes the air to expand rapidly and creates the sound wave we
hear as thunder. Normally, you can hear thunder about 10 miles from a lightning strike.
Since lightning can strike outward 10 miles from a thunderstorm, if you hear thunder, you
are likely within striking distance from the storm.
1.2 Types of lightning
Intra-Cloud: The most common type of lightning. It happens completely inside the cloud,
jumping between different charges regions in the cloud. Intra-cloud lightning is sometimes
called sheet lightning because it lights up the sky with a 'sheet' of light.
Cloud to Cloud: Lightning that occurs between two or more separate clouds.

Cloud to Ground: Lightning that occurs between the cloud and the ground.
Cloud to Air: Lightning that occurs when the air around a positively charged cloud top
reaches out to the negatively charged air around it.
Bolt from the blue: A positive lightning bolt which originates within the updraft of the
storm, typically 2/3rds of the way up, travels horizontally for many miles, then strikes the
ground.
Anvil Lightning: A positive lightning bolt which develops in the anvil, or top of the
thunderstorm cloud, and travels generally straight down to strike the ground.
Heat Lightning: Lightning from a thunderstorm that is too far away to be heard.
1.3 Effects of lightning
To be injured or temporarily disabled one may not essentially be struck by lightning. Even if
one is close to the point of strike he or she may receive lethal injuries to which the victim
may succumb. Lightning may injure or kill human beings and animals, basically in five
primary ways:
Direct strikes: The entire lightning current may pass through or over the body as a result of
the lightning being attracted by the body. Example: A person in an open field may be the
subject of a direct lightning strike.
Side flashes: The entire lightning current or a part of the lightning current may pass
through or over the human body due to the transfer of flash from a lightning struck object to
a body in the proximity Example: A person underneath a large tree or inside a tent on
wooden poles may be subjected to a side flash if the tree or the tent is struck.
Step potential: A partial current may pass through the body if two parts of the body in
contact with ground align in the direction of the potential gradient developed due to the
injection of current into earth from a nearby lightning strike. Example: The two feet of a
person separated in the direction of increasing potential.
Touch potential: A partial current may pass through the body if part of a body comes in
contact with a higher elevation of the lightning struck object while the other part remains in

contact with ground. Example: A person touching a flag pole by hand while standing on
ground. Accidents due to touch potential may also arise when a person is using line
connected telephones, repairing electrical systems connected to the power line or in contact
with any metallic part which is exposed to the path of lightning current (e.g. metallic railing
from the roof top which is connected to the lightning protection system at the roof top
level).
Proximity to the strike: The shock wave generated by the lightning current due to the
sudden expansion of air may damage the skin or ear drums when a person is very close to
the point of strike. There are several secondary effects, such as falling from higher
elevations due to the momentary shock, falling of heavy materials from structures (detached
due to lightning strike) on the person, burns due to volatile materials in the surrounding
catching fire, psychological trauma etc.
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
The relevant documents were reviewed to examine and summarize the research findings of
various authors regarding causes and consequences and ways to reduce the risk of effects of
the lightning strikes. In particular, the review examined the questions-what locations and
objects are more at risk to lightning strikes and the factors that affect them? What level of
education and awareness in individuals and families and responders about lightning strikes
make them more or less vulnerable? How to safely provide assistance to a victim following a
lightning strike? What protection measures are used by organizations that can assist in
preventing or reducing hazardous effects of lightning strikes to either or both humans and
properties? What knowledge and folk believes among common people about lightning
strike?
What locations and objects are more at risk to lightning strikes and the factors that
affect them? Most of the deaths that occurred due to lightning strikes were the results of
the victim being outside, reported by Isaacs in 2009. A study done by Cooper in 2009
reported that the probability of a lightning strike is influenced by isolation, height, and
narrowness of the tip of the object facing the cloud. It can also be influenced by climate,
location, and terrain reported by Cherington in 2001. A study conducted by Curran, Holle, &
Lopez in 1997 identified that parks, playgrounds, and baseball parks as the most common
areas that lightning strikes. The Storm Data study rated individuals being under trees as the

third largest group of deaths caused by lightning. Curran et al., in 1997 reported in their
study that in Florida, 60% of the deaths that occurred in 1996 occurred while the
individuals were under a tree. The study also revealed that the 4th most dangerous category
noted was deaths from lightning in water or water related activities such as fishing,
swimming, or boating. Finally the last three categories were being struck by lightning while
driving tractors or farm equipment, being struck while talking on a phone (not cellular),
strikes to radio or transmission antennas.
What level of education and awareness in individuals and families and responders
about lightning strikes make them more or less vulnerable? The Roman author Pliny
noted that “the man who sees the lightning flash and hears the thunder, is not the one
struck” (Critchley 1934:69). Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23 – August 25, AD 79), better
known as Pliny the Elder, was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher. In his
Naturalis Historia, published circa AD 77–79, he had observed a natural injury phenomenon
which possibly suggests toward lightning explosive barotrauma.
The results of a calculation of the blast wave resulting from the explosion of a sphere of air
initially at rest and at standard sea-level density but at 20 000 atmospheres pressure. These
results were presented in graphical form, showing the variations of overpressure, density,
particle velocity, temperature and dynamic pressure as functions of space and time. Shock
values of these parameters, total impulses, positive durations, and shock arrival times were
illustrated. Please note that this research was based on overpressure calculations for
spherical shock waves (Brode, 1956).
Malan touched on the concept of lightning explosive barotrauma in his book, The Physics of
Lightning (1963): “A further review of the literature on lightning reports that thunder
consists of a roughly cylindrical initial pressure shock wave at the lightning channel in
excess of 10 atmospheres. The shock wave rapidly decays to a sound wave within metres.
The pressure wave – shock propagation – sometimes causes exterior and interior damage to
structures. There are multiple well-documented reports of trees being split apart, blast
holes in the ground and flying masonry” (Malan 1963: 164). The explosive effects of
lightning on trees and reinforced concrete were discussed, and under the heading of
Explosive Effect: “Should the heavy current of a lightning flash pass through a confined
space, the heated air is not free to expand and will exert a pressure on the walls of the
cavity. The larger the cavity, the smaller the excess pressure, since only part of the air in a
large cavity will be heated. When a lightning flash is incident on rocky soil the electric
current tends to follow the interstices between the rocks or cracks, which are filled with

moist soil. Rocks may be split asunder or thrown aside with explosive violence.” (Malan
1963:164). Personal communication between Muller Hillebrand and DJ Malan (1963):
“Muller Hillebrand has carried out detailed studies of the effects produced by lightning on
the rocky soils of Sweden. He quotes one occasion where lightning struck a pine tree and
from there ploughed branching furrows in the ground. The total length of the furrows was
250 m, and in one spot there was a crater-like hole 2 m in diameter and 75 cm deep. Rocks
of up to half a ton in weight were dislodged and trees uprooted. The total volume of stones
and earth cast aside amounted to 25 m3 or the equivalent of 70 tons weight. He estimated
that about 200 kg of highexplosive T.N.T. would have been required to produce the same
effect as the lightning flash.” (Malan 1963: 164).
Uman, Cookson and Moreland (1970) published a paper on a shock wave from a four-meter
spark. “The shock wave emitted by a 4-m spark of energy 2 x 104 J was measured at
distances from spark midgap of between 0,34m and 16,5m. Close to the spark, a single
dominant shock wave was observed; farther from the spark, a number of significant shock
waves (generally 3 or 4) were observed. For distances less than 2m, both the shock
overpressure and the duration of the overpressure were between factors of 1.5 to 5 less
than predicted by cylindrical shock-wave theory. The discrepancies between the
experimental data and cylindrical shock-wave theory were partially explained by
consideration of the spark channel tortuosity.” (Uman 1970: 3148).
Previous investigations (Uman, 1971) established that the cloud to ground lightning return
stroke possesses very similar characteristics to the long electrical spark. Hence the majority
of knowledge related to lightning parameters has been derived by ‘scaling up’ the equivalent
information obtained during experimentation with the use of long linear electrical
discharges generated under laboratory conditions.
Ralph H Lee (Lee, 1986) researched lightning protection of building roofs and other limited-
strength structures. “The shattering effect attributed to lightning is due to lightning’s
secondary effect- the pressure impulse of air heated by the lightning. At distances over a few
tens of feet, we know this as thunder, but as less than 10-20ft, this pressure can be great
enough to destroy many manmade structures. By combining results from several sources, it
is possible to determine the intensity of this pressure from the stroke current magnitude
and the distance from the stroke terminal to the susceptible structure.” (Lee 1986:416).
Rakov and Uman (2003) describe the formation of the shock wave in their book Lightning –
Physics and Effect, which explains little appreciated forces that can occur with lightning:

“The return stroke heats the channel created by the preceding stepped or dart leader from
nearly 10,000K to near 30,000K or more in several microseconds or less. Such a channel
overpressure will result in an expansion of the luminous channel and the formation of a
shock wave that propagates outward and eventually beyond the luminous channel, which
attains pressure equilibrium with the surrounding atmosphere within tens of microseconds.
The shock wave differs from the acoustic wave (thunder) in that it compresses and heats the
air and, as a result, propagates at supersonic speeds. The initial propagation speed of the
shock wave is probably about 10 times the speed of sound. After the bulk (probably 99%) of
the energy delivered to the shock wave has been expended in performing thermodynamic
work on the surrounding atmosphere, the shock wave is transformed, within a few meters
or less from the lightning channel, into an acoustic wave that propagates at the velocity of
sound. Thus, the heated-channel thunder-generation mechanism involves the production
and evolution of the shock wave, which is typically characterized by its pressure as a
function or radial coordinate at different instants of time.” (Rakov & Uman 2003:378).
Ohashi and Kitigawa (Ohashi, 2001, 1986; Kitigawa, 1985) through process of elimination
came to the conclusion that blast injury results from the explosive vaporization of
superheated water along the path of the surface flashover. To investigate their hypothesis,
an experiment model of a lightning strike was created in the adult Wistar rat. Salinesoaked
blotting paper was used to simulate wet clothing or skin, and an artificial lightning impulse
was injected. The resultant lesions were consistent with their hypothesis that the blast was
reinforced by the concussive effect of water vaporization. Solid organ rupture, pulmonary
and intracranial haemorrhage, and skull fracture were created in a model of a direct
lightning strike in rats. These injuries were thought to be due to the concussive effect of
rapidly expanding steam produced by superheating water on the body surface by a surface
flashover (streamer). The flash moisture vaporization theory has been proposed to explain
some of the common findings in patients who have sustained lightning injuries.
What protection measures used by organization that can assist in preventing or
properties? The earliest literature available that proposes protection from lightning starts
in 1752 with Benjamin Franklin. Franklin’s original idea was to use a sharp point to draw
charges from the cloud to discharge it and thus prevent lightning. Early experiments by
Franklin in electrostatics had him arrive at this conclusion.
Lightning protection was installed at Purfleet and lightning struck there shortly thereafter.
Yet the lightning rod was not struck. Investigation revealed another metallic object was

struck and lightning conducted to ground. This incident caused the first reconsideration of
lightning protection technology and it’s techniques.
Although Franklin is attributed to have proposed the concept of the “cone of protection”,
detailed inquiry to determine the range of effectiveness of air terminals would wait until
1823. Gay- Lussac proposed a cone of protection with a radius of twice the height of the air
terminal.
At approximately the same time as Preece’s work, Anderson (1879) published a pivotal
work on lightning protection entitled Lightning Conductors - Their History, Nature, and Mode
of Application. This book is essentially the first lightning protection standard. Even today, we
follow most of the recommendations of this work.
In 1892, Sir Oliver Lodge published a review of the various concepts of a protected zone that
had been proposed to that date 21. Wide variation existed in the zones; angles of the conical
section from 90 degrees to 30 degrees. A curve similar to the current electro-geometrical
concept was apparently proposed by Preece, in a later work. With the bulk of evidence
available at the time, cones of protection varying from 45-degrees to 64-degrees were
retained as the protected zone concept, with little variation.
A significant recent development in lightning detection technology is the National Lightning
Detection Network (NLDN). The NLDN is a networked system of lightning sensors
throughout the continental United States originally developed under a Bureau of Land
Management contract with the intention of locating potential lightning-initiated forest fires
in remote areas. It has since been turned to private ownership and can provide real time
data of lightning strikes as well as archived data. Many papers have been published on the
methodology and accuracy of this system.
Recent work by Moore contends that there is an optimal tip radius for air terminals used in
lightning protection systems. Interestingly, this work settles a long argument dating back to
the origins of lightning protection concerning whether tips of air terminals should be sharp
or blunt, Franklin being a proponent of sharp tips.
How to safely provide assistance to a victim following a lightning strike? If a patient
has a pulse and is breathing when the rescue unit arrives, it is likely that they will survive,
reported by Mistovich, Krost, & limmer et al., in 1990. They also indicated that lightning
strike victims can suffer from both medical and traumatic injuries. Duclos et al., in 1990
reported that the ratio of lightning deaths to injuries is 1 to 4. Ausmus in 1994 noted that

the majority of the lightning strikes occurred in situations that could have been prevented if
minimal precautious had been practiced. Ninety percent of victims struck by lightning
survive (Zimmermann et al., 2002). Hamilton in 2006 wrote that 70% of all victims of the
lightning strikes who survive will suffer long term injuries, often to their brain and nervous
system. In 2009, Usatch noted that a common myth regarding lighting strike victims is that
once struck by lightning the victim retains an electrical charge. This myth is not true and
often results in delays in care to the victim. In the most serious lightning strikes cases
resulting in death, the death is normally the result of cardiac arrest, reported by
Zimmermann et al., in 2002. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, (CPR) should be initiated as
soon as possible resulting in higher likelihood (25%) of the survival (Walsh, Hanley, Graner,
Beam, & Bazluki, 1997). Aggressive advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) is highly
productive in lightning strike victims (Usatch).
Blunt force trauma effects have been addressed in the newer medical literature, specifically
concussive injury and musculoskeletal injury from falls (Auerbach, 2012). Once again, little
attention has been placed on why these victims fall in the first place: Do they first lose
consciousness and then fall? Or do they first fall and then lose consciousness? Does lightning
induce startle reactions, reflex movements or opisthotonic muscle contractions? (Fish,
2008: 429). “Lightning related muscle contractions are often so severe that they lead to
bone fractures. In cases where lightning has struck the head, deep seated thermal necrosis,
skull fractures, and epidural, subdural, subarachnoid, and/or intracerebral haemorrhages
have been described. The lightning related blast can lead to ruptured internal organs – for
example, the bladder – or to vascular ruptures – for example, aortic rupture” (Zack 2007: 5).
What knowledge and folk believes among common people about lightning strike?
Lightning has played a chunk of roles in many early myths, religions, superstition held by
human being over the years. For example, Indra was the God of thunderstorm, the Navajo
Indians told of the mythical Thunderbird and the lightning bolts that shot from its eyes, and
the Greeks and Romans believed the God Zeus used lightning as a weapon (Hamilton, 2006).
Muslim view on the formation of hail, thunder and lightning … He sends down mountains
from the sky with hail inside them, striking with it anyone He wills and averting it from
anyone He wills. The brightness of His lightning almost blinds the sight. (Qur'an,24:43).
So, when Franklin invented the lightning rod, he immediately came up hard against the
religious community. They hated this idea, and they said it was bullshit, that if you were a
sinner, God was going to strike you whether you put a metal stick on your house or not.

But, well, lightning rods work. Buildings with rods didn't get struck; buildings without, did.
And the conflict was finally settled, once and for all, when a church somewhere in Spain was
struck by lightning, setting off explosives that were stored underneath, leveling the town
and killing most of the people in it. Churches had been thought to be the safest place to store
dangerous things, because God would protect them there, and well, a lot of people paid with
their lives for that decision -- while whorehouses, sporting the fashionable new lightning
rods, never got hit. http://www.nairaland.com/1301165/lightning-strikes-science-vs-
religion.
CHAPTER 3: MATERIALS AND METHODS
The intent of the procedures was to obtain information and data from various sources in
order to address the research questions previously noted and to develop
recommendations. The procedures used to gather and prepare the information for this
research project began with extensive literature review. The majority of all books, journals,
and research papers were retrieved from on line sources. Limited information was
gathered through existing literatures rather than only newspapers reports in context of
Bangladesh.
3.1 Secondary data collection procedures
Online search: Google was the main search engine utilized to access and retrieve
information from the internet. Key words and phrases used during the internet search
included lightning strikes in Bangladesh, lightning strikes, lightning programs, lightning
awareness, lightning protection system, lightning knowledge, folk beliefs, lightning policy
and procedures, lightning research etc. Apart from these, the search Ask.com and
About.com were used to get more information on the relevant documents.
Desk review: Relevant documents on lightning strikes in global and Bangladesh context
were reviewed. Without Daily Newspapers, in Bangladesh, very few documents and
information were available in the printed materials. First the information was shorted out
based on the five questions of the research and put into the chapter of literature review.

3.2 Primary data collection procedures
Survey questionnaire: A survey questionnaire with specific three sections covered 29
questions was administrated to seek the answer of five research questions of this research.
Randomly selected 100 questionnaires were surveyed. The respondents for survey were
students from schools, colleges and universities. Along with a good number of government
and non-government officials were surveyed using the questionnaire.
Interview: Several phone and in person interviews were directed during the research
conduction. For interview a semi-structure interview checklist were used. The interviews
were with teachers from schools, colleges and officials from government and business
organizations about installation of lightning protection system in their respective
organizations.
CHAPTER 4: DATA PRESENTATION, RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Primary data analysis & results
First research question sought to determine if certain locations and objects were more at
risk to lightning strikes and the factors that affected them. Along with what characteristics
and factors affected their probability of being struck. To seek the answer of the question
news circulated in the national dailies were reviewed. The findings of the locations and
objects survey indicated that water body areas, isolated and tallest tress, buildings,
agriculture fields and straw made houses have the greatest likelihood of a lightning strike.
Analyzing the Daily Newspapers’ data
from 2010 – 2014, survey finding
showed that the number of death due
to lightning strikes is increasing. In
the year 2010, the number of injuries
(217), and deaths (134), followed by
in 2011 injuries (150), deaths (179),
and in 2014 injuries (76), deaths (420). Among them, male showed the highest number
(65%) of causalities whereas female and children (35%).
0
200
400
600
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
NoofInjuries&deaths
Year
Fig-1: Fatal Lightning Incidents by Year
(2010-2014)
Injury
Death

The survey regarding where people
were died showed that the highest
number in the field (43%), in house
(22%), in waterbody (14%), in road
(12%), and in others (9%) . In
houses cent percent was in rural
areas which were almost of straw
made.
Regarding the activities, the survey
findings presented that the majority
of lightning victims were farmers
(more than 56%) those who were
working in the agriculture fields.
Some 10% students were died
whether they were going to or getting
back form schools and 14% working
in water bodies and rest 20% people were died who were busy with different activities.
Study findings reported that the
majority (81%) of the deaths were
at day time. Whereas nearly half
(48%) of the cases occurred in the
afternoon hours between 12 Noon
and 3 PM. Some 33% of the
incidents were occurred in the late
afternoon and evening i.e. between
3PM to 6 PM.
Reviewing the data ranging from
2010-2014 to The highest percentage
of deaths was recorded in
Chapainawabganj (39%),
Kishoreganj (17%), Lalmonirhat
(16%), Sunamganj (15%), Satkhira
(13%).
0%
50%
Fatalitiesby%
Place
Fig-2: Lightning fatalities by Place
0%
20%
40%
60%
Farmer Student Fisher Other
Fatalitiesby%
Profession
Fig-3: Lightning Fatalities by Profession
0%
50%
100%
Day/Night 12am-3pm
(day)
3pm-6pm
(Day)
Fatalitiesby%
Time
Fig-4: Lightning Fatalities by Time
Day
Night
0%
50%
Fatalitiesby%
District
Fig-5: Lightning Fatalities by District

Table-1: Result of education and awareness of lightning strike disasters specific to
research question [2]
#
QUESTIONS
% OF
QUESTIONS
ANSWERED
YES
% OF
QUESTIONS
ANSWERED
NO
% OF
QUESTIONS
ANSWERED
UNKNOWN
1 Do you know what lightning is? 100% 0% 0%
2 Have you experienced lightning strike before? 67% 33% 0%
3 Do you hear/read about lightning disaster? 78% 22% 0%
4 Are you aware that lightning strike can kill or cause serious
health injury?
100% 0% 0%
5 Do you believe that lightning disaster can be averted to a
large extent?
50% 38% 12%
6 Do you educate and do aware your family members about
lightning strike?
39% 61% 0%
The second research question sought that the general education and awareness level of the
respondents surveyed regarding lightning is above 50% for 84% of the questions. Which is
higher than it was anticipated. The 100 percent respondents knew about the lightning
strikes and its serious health injury caused by it. Only 39 percent respondents say
something to their family members about the fatalities of lightning hit. The 78%
respondents heard about lightning disaster.
Table-2: Result of protection measures are used by organisations from lightning strike
disasters specific to research question [3]
# QUESTIONS
% OF
QUESTIONS
ANSWERED
YES
% OF
QUESTIONS
ANSWERED
NO
% OF
QUESTIONS
ANSWERED
UNKNOWN
1 Do you know anything about lightning protection
equipment?
17% 73% 0%
2 Do you have lightning protection equipment in your
house/learning center/working place
11% 78% 11%
3 Is there any awareness programme about protection from
lightning disaster in your learning center/working place?
6% 83% 11%
The research question [3] examined what organizations were doing in attempting to reduce
the severity of lightning strikes to either human or properties. The result of the three

questions surveyed, along with interviews with good numbers of individuals captured the
information on what their organization were doing to reduce the effects of lightning strikes.
Only 17% respondents noted that they knew something about lightning protection
equipment. The results of 11% respondents have known that their house/learning centre or
workplaces are lightning protected. The sobering experience was only 6% respondents
reported that awareness program about protection from lightning disaster were taken in
their learning centre/ working places.
Table-3: Result of how to safely provide first aid assistance to a victim following a
lightning strike and knowledge and folk beliefs in lightning strike disasters specific to
research question [4] and [5]
# QUESTIONS
% OF
QUESTIONS
ANSWERED
CORRECTLY
% OF
QUESTIONS
ANSWERED
INCORECTLY
% OF
QUESTIONS
ANSWERED
UNKNOWNLY
1 Lightning is a warning, a premonition or a punishment. 67% 22% 11%
2 In a thunderstorm, lightning only occurs with rain. 44% 39% 17%
3 Lightning only occurs with thunderstorm clouds
overhead.
33% 45% 22%
4 Lightning cannot occur without thunder 33% 39% 28%
5 If you can see blue sky, lightning danger is minimal. 11% 78% 11%
6 Lightning never strikes twice at the same place. 55% 6% 39%
7 Lightning always hits the highest point/strikes the tallest
object.
78% 11% 11%
8 Hide under an isolated tree to keep safe during
thunderstorms.
67% 17% 16%
9 A ship/boat on the water is safe from lightning. 67% 11% 22%
10 Swimmers are safe from lightning 67% 6% 27%
11 You can safely take a bath/shower during a thunderstorm. 44% 34% 22%
12 Metals (wristwatch, jewelry) can attract lightning. 50% 17% 33%
13 An active cell phone/mobile attracts lightning. 11% 45% 44%
14 Lightning victims are electrically charged and dangerous
and should not touch
34% 44% 22%
15 Lightning victims are burned and turned into valuable
magnate.
67% 28% 5%
16 In a crouched position you are more lightning-protected
in the open
17% 45% 38%

17 You are safe from lightning inside a building. 22% 78% 0%
18 You are safer in hatched/straw made house than that of
corrugated iron made house.
17% 33% 50%
19 In a group you are safe from lightning. 55% 17% 28%
20 Lie flat on the ground in a thunderstorm. 28% 50% 22%
The fourth research question also sought to determine what the general knowledge level of
the group was towards providing appropriate care to a lightning victim. The results of
question- lightning victims were electrically charged and dangerous and should not touch,
elicited the participants’ general knowledge of the appropriate care for a victim by
lightning. An alarming only 34% of the respondents acknowledged that lightning victims
were not electrically charged and could take immediate care for them. The 44% of
respondents believe that touching the lightning victims were dangerous and the 22% of
respondents were about the lightning victims to be touched or not.
The fifth research question examined the respondents’ knowledge and folk beliefs and
found that 55% of respondents have misconception about lightning whereas only 45%
reasonable understanding about lightning and its safety measures. Survey revealed that
22% of respondents thought the lightning as a punishment and 11% of respondents were
unknown about it.
An impressive result that 78% and 67% of respondents had right conception respectively
on highest points and isolated trees regarded as more prone to lightning hit. The 45% of
respondent did not know that crouched position may be applied in open field at the
emergency when someone had no other alternative to be safe themselves.
Survey also showed that 28% of respondents believed that lightning victims went into
valuable magnate after his/her deaths by lightning struck. It also found that 33% of
respondents gave wrong answer that straw made houses were safer than that of
corrugated iron made house.
In answering the last question, only 28% of respondents reported that lying flat on the
ground regarded as more dangerous and had a chance to be fatal attacked by lightning
whereas majority (72%) had misconception that lying down on the ground as a safe
practice for a potential victim.

4.2 Experts’ Views on increasing lightning
Based on news published in the Daily Newspapers and magazines review in Bangladesh
context, some experts’ views on causing and increasing of lightning strikes in recent years
have been summarised as the following-
Shamsul Alam, a climate change expert and member of Bangladesh’s Planning Commission,
said many other countries, including the United States and India, are successfully providing
warning of storms and lightning strikes. “Global temperature rise has caused various
changes, including an increased number of thunderstorms, cyclones and other natural
calamities. As the weather is becoming more extreme due to warmer temperatures, we
need more advanced technology to predict weather movements and their impacts,” he said.
Ainun Nishat, an eminent environmentalist and vice chancellor of Brac University, said
rising temperatures have caused more evaporation and cloud formation in recent years. At
the same time, Bangladesh’s population has grown. “Due to high population density, one
lightning strike kills many people,” he said. “Earlier we saw the tops of many big trees being
burned by lighting strikes. But nowadays, due to massive urbanisation and increased use of
cultivable lands, large trees are removed. So during thunderstorms, when a farmer or
anyone else stays out in an open field, they are being hit by lightning,” Nishat said.
Atiq Rahman, executive director of the Bangladesh Center for Advanced Studies (BCAS),
said early warning of lightning strikes through examining cloud movements is possible, and
could help avoid some deaths. Rahman said that, in recent years, winds have become
stronger, accompanied by more frequent thunderstorms. Climate change has clear linkages
with this rise in extreme weather, he added.
Sujit Dev Sharma, former scientific officer of Saarc meteorological office, says more people
are dying in thunderstorms in recent years because of population increase in Bangladesh.
Gawher Nayeem Wahra, convener of Disaster Forum, says the actual level of casualties
from lightning are most likely higher as most cases go unreported. Wahra says people
mainly from rural areas are struck by lightning as there are less protective measures
against it there, compared to the urban areas. Such casualties are on rise because tall trees,
for example, palm trees and others have been cut in the rural areas that act as a protective
measure against lightning, he adds

About lightning causes and nature, of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology,
Department of Electrical and former head and current syndicate member, Prof Abdul Matin
said, "though it is natural event, the amount of lightning has been increased enormously due
to climate change variation. Carbon, nitrogen and sulfur will increase the amount of gas so
as to increase the amount of lightning. The unplanned mobile network is responsible to the
occurrence of lightning strikes the ground”.
According to experts, mostly materials in the white clouds are water vapor or water
particles. As a result, friction of white clouds does not produce sufficient electrons. But the
dark clouds produce huge electrons as there have sufficient nitrogen and sulfur gas and
make high-speed collision between gases. And all these electrons through air vapour come
to the ground and cause lightning.
Reported by Prof. AQM Mahbub, Geography and Environment Department, University of
Dhaka, “we have no research on causes of lightning. However, lightning events have been
very common since the creation of world. So far we know that the lightning bolt is occurred
as a result of the collision of black clouds. White clouds do not contain materials that cause
lightning. In months of June-July in Bangladesh, due to the monsoon the atmosphere
contains huge water vapours. The water vapours go up due to the influence of air, causing
the black clouds. And finally the black cloud causes rain and the north-wester storm."
4.3 Results and discussion
Lightning causes damage to the body as a result of electrical current passing through the
body on the way to the ground. Sometimes it causes burns, as air nearby is heated by
passing lightning with clothing being set alight or by explosive effect of the air being heated
up to 20000 degree centigrade in a fraction of a second.
In this study majority of the victims were males comprising of 65% of total cases while rest
35% were females. For relatively greater involvement of male victims might be due to the
fact that more number of males traditionally being involved in the farm work and involved
in outdoors work.
Every year at least 263 people get killed by lightning strikes means that this disaster regards
as an alarming issue than that of other disaster in Bangladesh. People living in cities are
relatively safer than the ones in rural areas because people in urban setting generally work

indoor places and during lighting can easily find the safe shelter. Education and awareness
are a matter of fact in this regard.
The survey suggests that the majority of lightning-strike victims are farmers (56%), and
most of them had died while working in their fields. Some (10%) are students -- who were
struck on their way to or from school. According to the study, staying indoors during a
thunderstorm may not guarantee safety in rural areas. In fact, 22% of those killed were
inside their houses when they were struck.
As the study consisted mostly of rural population with low socioeconomic status these
people are forced to work in conditions of rain and thundershowers and if possible they
take shelter nearby. During thunderstorms people take shelter under isolated trees because
they believe erroneously that a tree offers protection from lightning.
Month and time of the day are other factors to be occurred lightning frequently such as in
the months of April, May and June, when lightning related deaths are the highest. The safest
time is November to February with just one recorded death in five years. The study has also
found that (81%) of the people who had died were struck between 6:00am and 6:00pm.
These months are basically very busy time for the farmers who are to work outsides where
have little or no chance to seek shelter during thunderstorms and lightning.
Some districts seemed to be more prone to lightning strikes. The highest number of deaths
was recorded in Chapainawabganj (39%), followed by Kishoreganj (17%), Lalmonirhat
(16%), Sunamganj (15%), Satkhira (13%) deaths. But the reason behind it is yet to be
examined by further research. Experts opined that relatively greater deaths of people might
be due to the fact that more number of people was being involved in the farm and outdoor
activities in these regions.
The general education and awareness level of the respondents surveyed regarding lightning
is above 50% for 84% of the questions this indicates a positive sign. And it could be factors
of fewer casualties in the years to come.
In this study it has been found that 89% of the respondents’ workplaces or educational
institutions are not lightning protected at all and 94 % of organizations do not have any
lightning awareness or education programs in and outside them. Now it is a less talking at
organizational levels but can be overburden issue in near future because of increasing the
lightning fatalities day by day.

In the study 44% of respondents believed that touching the lightning victims were
dangerous and the 22% of respondents were about the lightning victims to be touched or
not. This attitude and practice among common people can lead to increase many slightly
lightning victims into fatal injuries and deaths. Apart from these, victims are generally fallen
into heart attack and burn injured. Thus CPR for opening breathing and burn treatment
should be introduced among mass people especially in students of educational institutions
and officials from government and non- government organizations.
In the study revealed that 33% of respondents gave wrong answer that straw made houses
were safer than that of corrugated iron made house. It shows one of the reasons that people
in rural setting get died by lightning than that of urban setting. Actually hatched/straw
made house are more susceptible to lightning struck and thus it should avoid if possible.
Only 28% of respondents believed that lying flat on the ground regarded as more dangerous
and had a chance to be fatal attacked by lightning whereas majority (72%) had
misconception that lying down on the ground as a safe practice for a potential victim. If this
practice is continued among the people more deaths and injuries would be added in the
future as a whole.
CHAPTER 5: RRECOMMENDATIONS WITH LIGHTNING AWARENESS AND SAETY
MEASURES
10.1 Summary
In summary, the following key observations result from the analysis:
 Lightning is a common meteorological hazard in Bangladesh that regularly kills
and injures. Based on an analysis of media reports, the authors estimate that on
average about 263 lightning related deaths occur each year in Bangladesh.
 The majority of lightning-related fatalities and injuries in Bangladesh occur in
Chapainawabgani district. Over 39% of lightning deaths reported in media
statistics since 2010-2014 have occurred in the district.
 Most victims are male (65%), and engaged in outdoor field activities when
injured or killed in a lightning incident.

 The majority of lightning-strike victims are farmers (56%) as are forced to work in
conditions of rain and thundershowers to meet their livelihoods.
 People in cities are relatively safer than the ones in rural areas because most of them
work inside houses.
 Staying indoors during a thunderstorm may not guarantee safety in rural areas. In fact,
22% of those killed were inside their houses when they were struck.
 In the months of April, May and June, when lightning related deaths are the highest.
 The safest time is November to February with just few recorded death in five years.
 The study has also found that (81%) of the people who had died were struck between
6:00am and 6:00pm.
 The 89% of the respondents’ workplaces or educational institutions are not lightning
protected at all.
 In the study 44% of respondents believed that touching the lightning victims might be
dangerous and the 22% of respondents were confused about the lightning victims to
touch might be dangerous or not.
 In the study revealed that 33% of respondents gave wrong answer that straw made
houses were safer than that of corrugated iron made house.
 Only 28% of respondents believed that lying flat on the ground regarded as more
dangerous and had a chance to be fatal attacked by lightning whereas majority (72%)
had misconception that lying down on the ground as a safe practice for a potential
victim.
5.2 Recommendations
The following recommendations are intended to assist in the process of reducing lightning
injuries, deaths and property damages through raising lightning awareness and application
of safety measures.
 Increase lightning awareness among masses by not only government but also non-
government initiatives through lightning safety seminars and demonstrations / training
on first aid for school children, boy scouts and girl guides, social workers, volunteers of
medical services.
 Incorporate lightning awareness and education video and materials into training and
educational institutions that is developed.

 Continue training individuals in CRP as it is one of the required skill sets required to
prevent loss of life of a victim whose heat stops as a result of a lightning strikes.
 All public buildings should have lightning protection installed, including surge
protectors on all electric equipment as well as arrestors on incoming electric lines.
 Develop standard operating procedures on how to function and what practices are
permitted during a lightning storm.
5.3 Lightning awareness and safety measures
Sheltering under thunderstorm conditions
In the event of a natural random atmospheric phenomenon such as lightning, no place is
100% safe or having zero risk, however, some places are safer than others. Therefore, in
the event of an approaching thunderstorm one should seek shelter in a low-risk location
which is reachable within a reasonable period of time.
One of the safest locations during a thunderstorm is inside a substantially constructed
building, preferably with steel reinforcement (concrete slabs and pillars reinforced with
steel), plumbing and electrical wiring with a sound grounding system. Such structures are
residential complexes, fully enclosed factories, shopping malls, cinema halls, schools, office
buildings, and private residences made with brick, concrete etc. If lightning strikes the
building, the steel bars, plumbing and wiring will conduct the electricity more efficiently
than a human body. Therefore, chances of lightning current entering the human body
through an electric spark from the roof or walls is negligibly small. The risk is further
reduced if the building is installed with a properly designed structural protection system.
Design and installation of a lightning structural protection system should be done by a
competent engineer specialized in the subject. Such design descriptions are beyond the
scope of this book.
When you are inside a building, stay in the middle of a room or a hall. It is advisable to sit
on a chair or bed and keep the feet up. If you are standing keep your feet close together.
One should never sleep on the floor, especially inside a risky building, when thunder is
roaring around. Stay inside for at least 30 minutes after hearing the last thunder. Once
lightning strikes a structure, the current is most likely to flow along metal parts such as
railings, fences etc. Therefore, avoid touching or staying very close to such parts.

A structure made of non-metallic materials or having large exposed areas is not safe during
a thunderstorm. The risk of injuries and death will greatly be increased if such structures
are covered with combustible material (eg. wood, paper pulp, thatch, polymeric materials
such as PVC or rubber, fabrics etc.) The following structures fall into the above categories,
thus offer no safety from lightning. One must refrain from seeking shelter in such structures
under thunderstorm conditions.
Thatched roofed houses or temporary shelters
 Wooden or non metallic structures with metallic roofs
 Beach shacks and cabanas
 Camping tents and picnic huts (irrespective of the material)
 Sports pavilions and open stages
 Carports (especially the ones having no walls)
 Rooftop terraces (even when the terrace is covered with glass or transparent polymeric
materials)
 Structures with no walls or half walls (e.g. Dharma-Shala of most of the temples, most of
the schools in rural areas (even in some urban areas), and public gathering places such
as Praja-Shala)
One should not stay inside a building (even if it does not fall into the above categories),
which stores (or manufactures) fire works, gun powder, explosives, volatile fluids,
poisonous or compressed gases, petrochemicals etc., if the building is not installed with a
structural protection system that is in compliance with national or international standards.
The relevant government authorities should take strict measures to ensure that such
structures are comprehensively protected against lightning, in order to safeguard the
occupants and neighbourhood.
It should also be emphasized that structures with metal roofs are very much likely to attract
lightning. If the roof is fixed on a structure which is not properly earthed, the occupants will
be at a very high risk of getting side flashes if the structure is truck by lightning.
Power and communication lines are frequently struck by lightning due to there exposure to
the electricity from the sky. When such a service line is subjected to lightning, the current
may travel along the wires and enter nearby buildings. Therefore when the lightning is
striking around, electrical appliances should not be handled if they are connected to the
power supply or the communication lines. For the safety of the equipment they should be

kept plugged off from the service line. It is also advisable to remove the external antenna
jack of the Television and place the cable-end outside the building. However, it should be
emphasized that the unplugging of TV antenna jack, power connection, telecommunication
connection etc. should be done well in advance. Such removal should not be done after the
arrival of the thunderstorm.
Corded telephones and wired microphones should not be used unless it is an emergency.
However, there is no additional lightning threat of using mobile phones, codeless phones or
FM microphones. Nevertheless, it should be noted that the person who handles the
electronics of the public addressing system is at a risk of getting a shock if the system is
connected to the electricity service. Working on computers is also dangerous if they are
connected to communication and electrical services. If the trip-switch (RCD) or other circuit
breakers get switched off under thunderstorm condition they should be kept at off-position
until the storm is over. Staying for 30 minutes in darkness may be much better than lying on
a hospital bed for weeks. One should also not attend to the rectification of faulty in the
electrical wiring system or corded telephone systems during the thunderstorm period.
The repairing of leakage in the roof under overcast conditions should strictly be avoided.
One should not take a shower or bath or use a hot tub during an intense thunderstorm.
Using the swimming pools (both indoor and outdoor) should also be avoided during the
entire thunderstorm period even if the building is installed with a structural protection
system. The shock wave and the intense light generated by a close-by lightning and the
small step potentials that can be developed by the lightning current injected into the nearby
earth, may temporarily paralyze the person who uses the swimming pool, thus drowning
him to death. Figure-6 shows few “should-not-do”s under thunderstorm conditions.
If no proper building is available for sheltering under lightning conditions, then an enclosed
sturdy metallic vehicle such as train, car, van, bus or large ship makes a good alternative.
However, convertible vehicles offer no safety from lightning, even if the top is covered with
the foldable flap. Other unsafe vehicles during lightning storms are those which have
exposed parts such as open cabs, golf carts, tractors, trailers, three wheelers, motorcycles
and bicycles, agricultural vehicles, construction equipment such as cranes and elevators,
canoes, and open boats etc. If you are in a ship, refrain from staying in open decks. Inside a
vehicle, one should keep the windows up, and avoid contact with any conducting paths
leading to the outside or connected to the body of the vehicle (e.g. radios, body-fixed
telephones and key in the keyhole etc.). One should also avoid leaning against the metal

parts of the vehicles. If lightning strikes in the close vicinity, have your ears covered with
your hands if a suitable ear protector (earphones, cotton buds etc.) is not around.
Outdoor safety measures
It is important to plan the outdoor activities in advance during the lightning season to avoid
being caught up in a thunderstorm before reaching a safe shelter. The lightning season or
seasons of a country depends on its geographic location. For an example, in Sri Lanka the
acute lightning seasons are the inter-monsoon periods; March-April and September-October
(However, during the last few years the occurrence of lightning has become rather erratic
and spread all over the year). During the acute lightning seasons most of the thunderstorm
activities take place in the evening. Therefore, you should keep an eye on the weather
forecast and plan your outdoor activities accordingly. If you are a tall protrusion in a certain
landscape your body may be the unfortunate object that sends the first upward channel that
meets the downward stream of charge from the cloud. Therefore, in order to avoid being
subjected to a direct lightning one should not expose himself to the down coming stepped
leader. Under thunderstorm conditions people should not stay at high risk areas such as
 Playgrounds, racing tracks and other outdoor recreational areas
 Paddy fields and other agricultural landscapes including gardens with low growth
 Beaches, river banks, open wells, bridges and open roads
 Open construction sites, work sites and aerodromes etc.
 High elevations such as mountain tops, and building tops etc.
 Close to isolated trees and other tall isolated objects
To avoid such places, one should obviously refrain from playing out door games and doing
recreation activities, farming, boating, cycling and riding, hiking, gathering for open rallies,
repairing power and other service lines etc.
One of the most important rules of outdoor lightning safety is to avoid seeking shelter under
large isolated trees during thunderstorm periods. The electrical resistance of a human body;
about 300 Ohms, is much less than that of a tree which is in the order of Mega Ohms.
Therefore, once a tree is subjected to a lightning strike the large current that is flowing
along the tree trunk may jump to the bodies of the people who gather around the tree and
passes into earth in a low resistive path. This side flashing may kill even 5-6 people,
according to the records that we have from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan etc.
Although sheltering under isolated trees are very risky under thunderstorm conditions, in

comparison with open terrains or mountain tops, seeking shelter in a uniformly grown
forest patch or clumps of shrubs may be less dangerous.
When you are in contact with an object which will be subjected to a lightning strike a part of
the current may flow across your body as well. This has been described earlier as the touch
potential. In order to prevent your body being subjected to touch potential keep away from
flag poles, metallic masts, wire fences, metallic walls and doors, metal railings, etc.
One should also avoid taking bath in open pools, streams, rivers, lakes, sea etc., under
thunderstorm conditions. A person may drown to death if he falls unconscious in an
unattended environment while he is taking a bath or swim in such water masses (even if the
water is only a couple of feet deep). One should also discontinue fishing, water skiing, scuba
diving, swimming or other water activities when there is lightning or even when weather
conditions look threatening.
If you are in a small watercraft such as a boat, canoe, raft etc., move fast as possible to the
land and seek a proper shelter. In the event that such movement is not possible, try to take
shelter under a bridge. In the worst scenario, be inside the cabin or any other enclosure if
such location is available in the boat and take the safety position that will be described
latter.
In some literature, it has been recommended in general to take shelter underneath overhead
power lines in thunderstorm conditions. This recommendation, without any further
specifications, may lead to disastrous outcomes.
In most of the Asian, African and South American countries the low voltage (LV) overhead
power lines are placed about 4 – 6 meters above ground, and in almost all the cases they are
not shielded with grounding wires above them. If lightning strikes such a LV line, the
lightning current has to flow into earth at the sub-station (where the transformer neutral
has been earthed) which may be about 1 km away from the point of strike. As a result there
will be several flashovers to ground from the power line, close to the point of strike, through
which much of the charge is transferred to earth.
There are many eye witnessed records of such flashovers reported by people who live close
to LV lines. As most of the LV lines are situated along the sides of roads (flat ground) a
person underneath such a power line, even in the safety position, may be a prime target of
the flashovers, once the line is struck. Hence, you are strongly advised to be well away from
such overhead LV lines during a period when lightning is possible.

In the case of high tension (HT) lines the line-height is much larger and in most of the cases
(not in all cases in the countries of the regions mentioned above) overhead shielding wires*
are installed along with HT lines. Furthermore, in lightning dense regions, the HT lines are
protected at the supporting towers with arching hones, surge protective devices etc.
Therefore the chance of flashover to ground from such HT lines is less. However, most of
these HT lines are stretched over remote lands that are not accessible to common people.
Hence, the chances of a person seeking shelter underneath HT lines in a thunderstorm
condition are slim. However, if you happened to be in such situation take the safety position
at a place as far as possible from the supporting towers of the lines (midway between two
towers).
If you stay close to a tall communication, broadcasting or HT line supporting tower you have
to take extra measures in protecting yourself and your equipment. This is due to the
increased probability of lightning current flowing near to your house or factory. In case of
poor earthing at the tower base there can be a so called “earth potential rise” in the nearby
area, so that a person outside may be subjected to a “step potential”. As a result, he may be
injured or temporary paralyzed. Such paralysis may lead to severe injuries and even death if
he is standing close to a pit or an unprotected well or taking a bath in a water pool. Thus, if
you have such towers in the neighbourhood, you may follow the safety guidelines described
in this book with extra attention.
The 30/30 rule
In many countries such as USA the lightning safety plans essentially include the 30/30 Rule.
The 30/30 Rule states that people should seek shelter if the "Flash-To-Thunder" time delay
(length of time in seconds between the vision of the lightning flash and the subsequent
hearing of thunder) is 30 seconds or less and that they remain under cover until 30 minutes
after the final sound of thunder.
A 30 second time-to-thunder corresponds to a lightning about 10 km away. The analysis of
lightning detection data in several countries show that at the beginning of the lighting
activity, strikes can be scattered within a distance of about 10 -12 km. Therefore, a 30
second lead-time is necessary prior to the arrival of a storm as there is a possibility of
distant strikes. A 30-minute wait, after the last thunder is heard, is necessary because the
trailing part of thunderstorms may carry a residual charge. This charge can and does
occasionally produce lightning on the back edge of a storm, tens of minutes after the rain
has ended.

Several studies have revealed that most people struck by lightning are struck not at the
most active stage of a thunderstorm but before and after the storm peak. This can be
explained scientifically as in many cumulonimbus clouds that produce lightning, the anvil of
the cloud from which lightning can be emanated, is several tens of kilometers shifted from
the rain base. Most importantly this part of the thundercloud houses positive charge that
drives positive cloud to ground lightning*. Such positive lightning may drive much larger
impulse currents (in the order of 500 kA) and long continuing currents (currents in the
order of about 1 kA flowing for a considerably longer period). Furthermore, if the lightning
strikes before the rain the chances of triggering fire is also larger due to the dry conditions
that may prevail. Therefore, such lightning poses a much higher threat to the human beings,
animals and property than their negative counterparts. The above facts show that many
people are unaware of how far lightning can strike from its parent thunderstorm. Therefore,
one should not wait for the rain to start seeking shelter and should not leave shelter just
because the rain has ended.
Safety position
If one cannot go elsewhere and is compelled to stay outdoors in a severe thunderstorm (as
he may be far away from a proper shelter), he should move to the safest location available
(away from isolated trees, higher elevations, water etc.) and adopt the safety position
described below.
The person should crouch down, put the feet together and place hands over ears to
minimize hearing damage from thunder and duck the head as much as possible (refer
Figure-8). Make sure that you do not take the safety position at a place that has a chance of
falling material (very close to a large wall or underneath an overhanging roof), flooding
(dried up river beds, pits etc.), land sliding (eroded slopes, close to wells and unstable
ground etc.) or explosion (close to underground ammunition dumps) etc.
Each person in a group, in safety position, should at least be 3 m away from one another,
thus if one unlucky person is struck, the others will be saved and can provide first aid to the
victim. In the event of very close thunder activities, one should not use earphones and
headsets. All removable metallic parts on the body such as backpacks, caps with metal tips,
wrist watches, metallic badges etc and any metallic items such as golf clubs, fishing rods,
agricultural tools, tennis rackets, umbrella etc. should be removed and dropped aside. The

reason for dropping such metal objects is to minimize the chances of getting side flashes and
also to prevent heat being trapped into a single point in the event of a lightning strike to an
unfortunate person. We have several records where people have been severely injured as
metal parts on the body garments were melted due to the heat of the lightning current and
stuck into the body. It is emphasized that the shedding of such metal parts will not reduce
the probability of a person being struck by direct strikes.
It will be advantageous to wear shoes or slippers made of insulation material (such as
rubber, PVC, leather, plastic, etc.), as that will minimize the chance that a person being
subjected to step potential (Note that such insulation will not prevent or even reduce the
chances of a person being hit by direct strikes). Studies that have been done in Bangladesh
reveal that step potential may lead to the death of people more often than one would expect.
Safety at workplace
Lightning safety should be an integral part of the safety plan of workplaces in areas of high
lightning occurrence density. This is specifically important in the industrial and service
sectors where
 considerable outdoor activities are involved; power distribution, communication
(tower related sites, line maintenance etc.), building construction, road and
other civil constructions, defence, police, dock yards, transportation, airport and
aviation, hydro projects, fisheries, plantations, metal crushers, playgrounds, Golf
courses, swimming pools etc.
 large masses of employees are engaged; garment industry, hotel industry,
hospitals etc.
 a high risk environment exist; fire work industry, explosive manufacturing,
petrochemical industry, compressed gas distribution etc.
The employees of such sectors should be given a mandatory short training program
together with demonstrations on lightning safety and protection on annual basis.
Typically a three hour program will be sufficient to enlighten the awareness of workers.
Such training program should include
 basic concepts of lightning,
 human safety concerns,
 techniques of lightning protection of equipment and properties,
 training on first aid.

By taking the following important measures, the lightning safety environment of a
workplace can significantly be improved.
 Installing proper structural and surge protection systems to the buildings and imposing
compulsory maintenance guidelines.
 Displaying “do”s and “should-not-do”s under thunderstorm conditions, at frequently-
visited places of employees; restaurants or lunch/refreshment rooms, reception,
restrooms, recreation centers etc.
 Installing lightning warning systems at vulnerable places.
 Displaying warning signs at dangerous locations such as playgrounds, swimming pools,
outdoor recreation centers, beaches, isolated trees, open spaces, flag poles, close to
down conductors of the structural protection system, etc. Few such warning signs are
 “Do not use the xx under lightning conditions”. xx: playground, swimming pool etc.
 “Keep away from this xx under lightning conditions” xx: flagpole, down conductor, tree
etc.
 “Don’t go out of the building under lightning conditions”. In beaches, gardens, hotels etc.
It is highly meaningful to incorporate these warning signs (displayed in both English & native
languages) with a lightning warning system.
 Covering the locations of the earthing pits (of down conductors and power) with a few
centimeter layer of gravel or crushed rock (area of radius about 3 meters around the
pit).
 Planning outdoor events such as repairing of power and communication lines,
plantation activities, construction work etc, according to the weather forecast or
information obtained from a lightning detection system. This is specifically important in
the case of repairing power systems where a lineman is lifted by an insulated boom
crane to be in contact with low voltage or high voltage overhead lines. As far as the
bucket is insulated from the body of the crane (and in most cases the bucket is
temporarily bonded to the line as well) the lineman is safe from electrocution due to
power frequency currents. However, in the event of a lightning strike to the line, the
bucket will become a floating electrode that facilitates the lightning current to flow into
ground in the form of aerial spark resistive flow combination. In other words a lightning
generated spark may leap through the insulation of the bucket (bridging the gap
electrically) so that the lightning current may pass through the body of the lineman into
ground (killing or injuring him).

Attending a lightning victim
A person who is in the vicinity when lightning strikes ground, will be perplexed for about 30
seconds due to the intense light and sound. If you are happened to be such a person, try to
recover yourself at the earliest. Make a quick assessment of the injuries in your body. If you
are immovable due to fractures, bleeding etc. then shout for help until you draw the
attention of someone that can attend to you.
If your injuries are not severe and you can easily mobilize yourself, make a quick
assessment of the status of the people around. If there are multiple victims attend the
people who appear most critical (appear dead). Asses the environment for possible fires,
explosions, exposed electric wires, leaking of toxic fumes, falling of material from elevated
positions, flooding etc. If such risks exist remove the victims to a safe place, while taking all
the precautions not to expose yourself to danger. You won't be of much help if you get
injured, too. Don't move an injured person if you don't have to. Unless for the above
mentioned risky environment, it is best to let a person lie where he is. If the victim has back,
head, or neck injuries, moving him can make the injuries worse or even cause permanent
damage or death.
If the person has undergone cardiac arrest or is not breathing, begin Cardio Pulmonary
Resuscitation (CPR) right away, if you are trained in CPR. If you are not trained in CPR, do
not attempt to resuscitate, as you may break the ribs or puncture the lungs of the victim. In
such a case, shout for help until you draw the attention of someone that can help you.
However, if the person is not breathing and if you have any idea of mouth-to-mouth
resuscitation, try that at your best until the breathing is regained. If the lightning victim is
bleeding due to a body cut, apply direct, uniform pressure with a cloth and your hands to
slow the out flow. Lift the bleeding limb if it doesn't cause substantial additional pain. You
should not touch the skin of the victim where there are skin burns. To protect yourself
against HIV and other infections while in direct contact with blood, you should practice the
universal guidelines for preventing infection.
If the victim is shaking vigorously, breathing harshly, nauseous, clammy, and pale, it is
possible that the person is in shock and might become unconscious at any moment.
Vomiting can also be a sign of shock, thus keep the airways clear. If no back or neck injury is
suspected, gently roll the victim's whole body to the side to keep airways open and prevent
vomit from pooling in the back of the throat (which can cause choking). Cover the victim
with a blanket if you see any signs of shock.

You should not attempt giving an injured unconscious person anything by mouth (such as
pills, liquids etc.). When a person is unconscious, even water (which one might think will
ease the pain) can interfere with breathing and choke him to death. Only trained personnel
can help a victim with cardiac or respiratory problems, internal bleeding, excessive external
bleeding, head traumas, severe burns, fractures etc. Therefore, as soon as you finish giving
the first aid within your capacity, call the emergency service. In each country, there is an
easy-to-remember toll free telephone number (or numbers) assigned for such services.
When you call the emergency service, give in brief, the location of the incident, the nature of
the incident and any special requirements (need of ambulance with trained medical staff,
fire fighters, excavation etc.). When the aid is reached let the medical team know about any
special information regarding the victim that is within your knowledge (diabetes,
hemophilia, mental disorder, or any other disabilities).
A major problem with lightning victims is the temporary and long lasting psychological
trauma caused by the disastrous and unexpected nature of the accident. Furthermore, in
several Asian, African and Latin American countries a social taboo is also tagged on people
who are subjected to lightning strikes. This may disturb the mental stability of the person
during the minutes of waiting for emergency service and also for a considerable period after
the physical ailments are cured. Therefore, while you are waiting for the aids, try to keep the
injured person calm by providing comfort with a soothing voice or a gentle touch. It is also
not a bad idea to explain the victim in simple words of what has happened and the nature of
lightning if the victim is totally unaware of the phenomenon (just explain him that lightning
is a natural phenomenon where a current flows from cloud to ground during a fraction of a
second, so that his fears for social taboos will be reduced).
Indigenous solutions
One of the main reasons of failures in promoting lightning safety in the developing countries
is the impracticability of many recommendations given in Lightning Protection Standards
originally formulated in developed countries and later adopted with few modifications in the
developing countries. For an example expecting a family living in a thatched roofed wooden
hut to install a comprehensive structural protection system that cost more than 20 - 30 times
the value of the hut itself will be meaningless. Similarly, asking a team of temporary
labourers working in a road construction site to be inside a substantially made building
during a thunderstorm will be of no avail as they may have to walk several kilometres to
reach such a location. Furthermore, they may loose the days wage if they decide to stay back
at a safe place anticipating thunderstorm activities during the hours to come. Hence, it will be

sensible and meaningful to go beyond the peripherals of the international standards in
proposing suitable practical solutions to reduce the lightning risk in a futile environment.
Protection for metal roofed or thatched roofed huts
Huts with iron roofing supported by non-conducting materials such as wood and fabrics, is a
common site of many developing countries. The lightning threats to this type of houses can
be reduced by grounding the metal roof by some sort of conducting material. For an example
a GI pipe of 2.5 cm diameter and 2 mm thickness can be bolted or welded to the roof and
connected to another GI pipe which has been driven deep into the earth at ground level. The
earth pipe should preferably have a minimum diameter of 5 cm and minimum thickness of 3
mm. It should be driven into a depth of about 2-3 meters. It is better to have two such
grounding routes instead of one. If there is a metal TV antenna mast protruding above roof
level, it should also be tied electrically to the roof or the down conductor. In the absence or
lack of affordability of GI pipes any other metallic extension like barbed wires, steel bars
(those are used for concrete reinforcement) etc., can also be used. It is a good practice to
install the earth pipe close to a place that regularly gets wet (e.g. close to the waste water
outlet). A thatched roofed house can also be protected in a similar manner. As it is shown in
Figure-10, two pipes should be installed in such a way that they are at least 20 cm away from
the corners of the ridge of the roof. These can be GI pipes similar to those described above.
Connect the two pipes by a barbed wire or any other metallic strip/wire etc. In such case it is
advisable to keep the entire lightning protection system at least 20 cm away from the non-
metallic structure of the house (roof and the vertical structures). Under thunderstorm
conditions the occupants of the above type of houses should stay away as far as possible
from the down conductors. Sleeping on floor or keeping the legs far apart while you are in
such a structure should strictly be avoided. If the thundering is severe one should adopt the
safety position described earlier.
Low cost safety shelters
One of the best outdoor shelters for lightning safety is an abandoned cargo container firmly
grounded at one or more places as shown in Figure-11 (even without grounding it provides a
reasonably good protection). Such abandoned cargo containers can be bought at rather low
cost, thus the site or industry owners, local authorities and government may place them at
appropriate places after doing some modifications for easy entrance and ventilation. Sign
boards of instruction should be displayed at the locations for the public to access such safety
shelters within a short period of time.

Following are the places where such shelters are required.
 Construction sites.
 Beaches, riverbanks etc. at remote places.
 Camping sites; It should be emphasized that in the sites of outdoor scouting camps
several of the above mentioned safety shelters should be placed, as a large number of
people, especially, children participate in such events.
 Amusement parks, city gardens, botanical and zoological gardens, forests with walkways
etc. with large areas of open spaces.
 Resting locations of Safari Parks.
 Schools without sturdily made buildings.
 Archeological sites in remote areas.
 Open spaces of airports and dock yards (far from substantially made buildings).
 Large agricultural lands
Safety of boats
There can be cases that boats are caught up in mid-sea or mid-lake under thunderstorm
conditions. Specially, fishing boats and house boats have the possibility of coming across
such situations. The following protection scheme is recommended for such boats to
minimize the lightning threat. Attach 6 - 8 metal chains (wires of each link about 1 mm in
diameter), about 10 cm underneath the top of the mast if the mast is metal. In the absence of
such a metal mast a makeshift mast made of a suitable metal of minimum cross section 50
mm2 (that can be erected whenever it is needed) can be used. If the mast is wooden or any
other non conducting material, a metal clip (of copper, Aluminium or GI with a thickness of
3 mm) can be used. Under fair-weather conditions keep the chains wrapped around the
mast or let them all fall into the water from one side. When the first signs of an approaching
thunderstorm are seen, unwind the chains and put them into the water equally spaced from
all directions (refer the diagram). The chains should at least be one meter below the water
surface. Occupants should stay within the area enclosed by the network of chains and stop
all activities such as fishing and netting or dangling parts of the body in water. If the
thunderstorm is acute, make yourself in the safety position at a location as far as possible
from any parts of the chains.

Safety of animals
Every year millions of cattle, buffalos, sheep and goats get killed by lightning all over the
world. The animals are very much vulnerable to be affected by lightning as they are usually
placed outdoors even under thunderstorm conditions. Occasionally, precious animals such
as elephants are also subjected to lightning caused injuries and deaths. Especially animals
having a large separation between their front legs and back legs such as elephants, cattle,
horses, donkeys etc. are more vulnerable to get lightning injuries. This is due to the
considerably high potential difference built up between the front and back feet.
Furthermore, in contrast to the case of human beings, the lightning current entering from
one set of feet of these animals will most probably cross over the heart, liver etc. as the path
of current will be through these organs. It is difficult to prevent animals that graze in herds
in large fields, being subjected to lightning effects. According to the reports on mass deaths
of animals in farms, they were most often close to metallic fences or underneath large trees
during the time of occurrence of lightning. Animals in large numbers, being affected by
lightning while they were grazing in open low flat terrains are rare. The low probability of
lightning to such flat terrains and the large distance between animals may be the reasons for
these observations. Therefore, if the movement of herds can be controlled prevent the
animals being close to large trees, metal fences etc., during thunderstorm activities.
In contrast to the agricultural animals, herded in large fields, animals in captivity or
domesticated animals, which have greater chances of being inside shelters, can be better
protected. Mainly, stallions, elephants and animals in zoological gardens fall into this
category. Among these animals elephants have a higher risk of getting injured or being
killed due to lightning as they may subject to step potentials, touch potentials and side
flashes.
The situation can be even worse if the elephants are tied to large trees or stumps with metal
chains. As the elephant is quite tall it may get a side flash when the tree is struck by
lightning. In this case the lightning most probably jump to the head of the animal from the
tree killing it on the spot. Even if it escapes from a side flash the lightning current may
automatically be brought into his body by the metal chain. Another way of elephants
receiving a dose of lightning current when it is underneath a tree is through touch potential
(Figure-13). As the lightning current flows through the tree a large voltage develops along
the trunk of the tree. If a part of the elephant is in contact with the upper parts of the tree it
will be exposed to touch potential which may be fatal.

A dedicated place should be arranged to tie up these animals under thunderstorm
conditions. They should never be tied up to large isolated trees. The area, within which the
animal is allowed to move, should be laid with a mesh of copper strips (of minimum cross
sectional area 50 mm2) underneath the ground surface. As copper is costly, GI pipes, GI
tapes, barbed wire etc., can also be used for the purpose. For elephants a mesh of maximum
dimensions 3 m × 3 m is suitable while for horses, donkeys and cattle it should
approximately be 2 m × 2 m. The mesh should be installed about 0.5 m below the ground
level. One or two tall metal poles should be installed and well grounded at the ends of the
area (to have an earth resistance of less than 10 Ω). GI pipes of about 2.5 cm diameter and 3
mm thickness will be adequate for the purpose. The metal mesh should firmly be joined to
the grounding of the metal poles (better be thermo welded). There should be a facility to
connect electrically the chain of the elephant to the grounding system, which is an essential
part of the protection system. If a low cost option is adopted instead of copper, then it is
advisable to inspect the condition of the underground mesh at least in every five years.
5.4 Concluding remarks
Though lightning accidents are unpredictable, the deaths and the casualties resulting from
the same can be prevented by some simple precautionary measures, like staying indoors
during thunderstorms and taking shelter under a safe and strong solid structure. Various
vulnerable circumstances, such as being in an open field, on top of a building, under a
isolated tree, swimming in a pond, predispose a person to the lightning strikes. Such
circumstances should be avoided during thunderstorms. General awareness of common
people along with some precautionary measures is the key in prevention of lightning
accidents.

Lightning Strike Awareness and Protective Measures in Bangladesh

Lightning Strike Awareness and Protective Measures in Bangladesh

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