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Rising temperature, lightning play havoc
It may sound unbelievable, but the truth is 41,025 lightning strikes recorded in Andhra Pradesh on May 1 due to sudden rise in temperature with formation of upper air circulation in north coastal Andhra and Chhattisgarh. These lightnings claimed the lives of 14 persons in various parts of the state.
​Vijayawada: It may sound unbelievable, but the truth is 41,025 lightning strikes recorded in Andhra Pradesh on May 1 due to sudden rise in temperature with formation of upper air circulation in north coastal Andhra and Chhattisgarh. These lightnings claimed the lives of 14 persons in various parts of the state.
Though the State Disaster management is sending SMS alerts to the people via mobiles phones, print and electronic media and social media, deaths are taking place as people are not heeding the advice to remain indoors at the time of lightning. Nellore district recorded the highest number of lightning strikes with 11,955 followed by Prakasam (4725), Srikakulam (4703), Guntur (4101), Vizianagaram (3901).
East Godavari (3216), Krishna (2925), Vizag (2698), Chittoor (1706), West Godavari (768) and Kadapa (327). Warning messages were sent to the people of 443 mandals in 11 districts of the state excluding Kadapa and Anantapur. Due to availability of modern technology, the department of disaster management is able to alert the people in order to save the lives of people, livestock or property.
Most of the people who died due to lighting strikes were those who were taking shelter under trees, waiting for the nature’s fury to subside. Since April 1, 1.4 lakh lightnings have struck the state resulting in death of dozens of people. A senior official working in the State Disaster Management department said dozens of people mostly villagers lost lives due to thunderbolts in the state during the last few years.
He said the impact of global warming is clearly visible and coastal districts are prone to high temperatures with less rainfall. Andhra Pradesh recorded 33 per cent less rainfall in 2017 and it has been taking place for the last three years.
Cumulonimbus clouds are forming over coastal districts due to excess heat leading to thunderbolts, gales, cloudbursts and hailstorms. When the thick clouds form vertically, it leads lightning supported by gales and rains, said a senior officer working in the Disaster Management department. "Unless the green cover increases, and temperatures come down by two to five degrees in the coming years in the Coastal districts, the people have to face similar fate in future," he added.
