Syed Shemul Parvez :
The death toll from lightning strikes in the country has risen at an alarming rate since last April. Recently, panic of tragic death caused by lightning has spread among the common people across the country including the capital city.
According to sources, about 50 people were killed and several others seriously injured across the country in the last three days.
Mentionable that last Sunday (June 6), at least 24 people were reportedly killed in a single day by lightning strikes throughout the country.
On the day, five people were killed and six injured in Sirajganj, four were killed in Chattogram, two each in Manikganj, Patoyakhali, Satkhira and Feni, one each in Madaripur, Shariatpur, Noakhali, Barishal, Magura, Cuyadanga and Munshiganj.
Besides yesterday (Monday) at least 11 people were killed in several lightning strikes across the country.
Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) on Sunday issued some guidelines to avoid deaths or injuries caused by lightning in the wake of the rise in lightning deaths.
“The temperature rose in April in Bangladesh, which has caused water to vaporize and finally lead to rain, clouds, and lightning,”said Prof Dr Towhida Rashid, chairperson of the Meteorology Department, at Dhaka University (DU).
According to the Meteorological Department, more than 150 people die in lightning strikes in the country every year. Most of the deaths occur in the Haor area. In addition to people, a lot of cattle also die every year due to lightning. The government has also declared lightning a national disaster.
According to a study titled ‘Risk Factors and Social Vulnerability’, conducted by USA’s Kent State University’s geography Prof Thomas W Schmidlin, the maximum occurrence of lightning over the entire Indian subcontinent occurs in central Bangladesh during the pre-monsoon season (March-May) with 40 lightning strikes per square kilometre.
DGHS spokesperson Professor Mohammad Rubed Amin advises the people to abide at least seven guidelines to avoid deaths or injuries caused by lightning.
1. Thunderstorms usually stay about 30-35 minutes. So everybody has to stay at home during this time. If you have to go out of the house in case of emergency, wear rubber shoes, it will protect you from thunderstorms.
2. If you are in a paddy field or open field during a thunderstorm, you should sit with your mass on your toes putting fingers on your ears.
3. If there is a risk of lightning, take shelter under a building or concrete tent as soon as possible. Do not go on the roof of the building or on the high ground.
4. The child should be kept away from any kind of sports during lightning, should be kept indoors.
5. If there are tall plants, electric poles, metal objects or mobile towers in the empty space, do not stay near it. It is dangerous to be under a tree during a thunderstorm.
6.You should not go for fishing in a boat without a tent during a thunderstorm.
7. If someone is inside the car, his body shouldn’t connect to the metal part of the car.
