Climate Change Behind Frequent Deadly Lightning Strikes, Say Scientists | Details Inside

Taking cognisance of the heightened frequency of deadly lightning and thunderstorms in recent times, senior scientists on Saturday held global warming due to climate change accountable for it.

Their remarks came in connection with the recent death of at least 43 people due to lightning strikes in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday and 21 in Bihar on Friday. As per reports, most of them were either transplanting paddy in fields, grazing cattle or taking shelter under trees to protect themselves from the rain.

Following the recent deaths, Bihar demanded that lightning should be officially recognised as a natural disaster, which would make victims or their families eligible for compensation from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).

What did the scientists say?

According to former Secretary in the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences, Madhavan Nair Rajeevan, climate change is primarily responsible for the increase in the formation of convective or thunderstorm clouds.

"People have documented that the frequency of thunderstorms is increasing everywhere, including India, due to climate change," he told PTI.

"Unfortunately, we do not have long-term data for lightning flashes to confirm an increase in incidents. However, we can conclude that global warming leads to more convective activity, resulting in more thunderstorms and, consequently, more lightning strikes," he said.

According to Rajeevan, lightning is attributed to deeper clouds with large vertical extensions.

"With climate change increasing the moisture-holding capacity of the air, more such clouds are forming," he added.

Futher elaborating the matter, D S Pai, a senior scientist at the India Meteorological Department (IMD), said the higher the surface temperature, the lighter the air and the higher it will rise.

"So, with higher temperatures, there is a greater chance of convective activity or thunderstorms, which naturally leads to more lightning strikes. Climate change is making such events more frequent," he told PTI.

Data shows significant increase in lightning

• According to the data shared by Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, lightning incidents in India increased by 30 to 40 per cent between 1995 and 2014.

• National Crime Records Bureau's (NCRB) Crimes in India Report 2022 said lightning accounted for 2,887 of the 8,060 deaths caused by forces of nature.

• India Meteorological Department's (IMD) data shows six per cent of the districts and four per cent of the population are moderately to highly vulnerable to lightning strikes. Odisha ranks as the most vulnerable state.

• According to the Annual Lightning Report 2023-2024 by the Climate Resilient Observing Systems Promotion Council (CROPC) and the IMD, the highest cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning strikes occur in eastern and central India, and hence these regions face the maximum damage.