Lightning kills 106 people in Jajpur in 8 years

Jajpur: Lightning strikes have killed more than 106 people in Jajpur district in the last eight years. An average of 13 people die due to lightning every year in the district, official sources said. Of the total death, the highest lightning casualties, 26, were reported from Sukinda block, while the lowest, two, were reported from Bari block.

While 15 persons were killed in lightning strikes in the district in 2015, a total of 26 persons died in 2016. Similarly, 19 persons were killed in 2017, fifteen in 2018, twelve in 2019, one person in 2020 and nine each in 2021 and 2022 in lightning strikes.

The highest, 26 persons, were killed in 2016 while the lowest, one,died due to lightning strike in 2020 in the district, the official data said.Majority of the casualties were reported from Sukinda, Danagadi, Dharmasala, Korei and Badachana blocks.

Although advanced information regarding lightning and thunderstorms are being provided to the people by the Meteorological department, awareness among the people is the need of the hour, said social activists.

"Farm workers or daily wage earners, especially those working in the open, are mostly the victims of lightning. There is an urgent need to make these people aware of how to deal with natural calamities like lightning and remain safe," said Prasant Kumar Sahu, who has been working in disaster management field for the last three decades.

Sahu called for planting more palm trees which can reduce the impact of lightning.

"Lightning usually hits the tallest object first. The palm tree, being the tallest among other trees in the surroundings, works as a lightning conductor, reducing casualties from the thunderbolt", he said.