IMD report reveals Maharashtra recorded 47 lightning incidents in 2023
The IMD officials also stated that these are preliminary data; and that they are in the midst of preparing the final report with state authorities, and the number could vary from what is stated in the preliminary report
Pune
According to an India Meteorological Department (IMD) report titled ‘End of the Monsoon Season’, which was released on Saturday, September 30, the country recorded 428 lightning activities so far this year throughout both the pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons. Out of the 428, Maharashtra witnessed 47 such incidents. The IMD officials also stated that these are preliminary data; and that they are in the midst of preparing the final report with state authorities, and the number could vary from what is stated in the preliminary report. The mortality rate was also not disclosed in this report.
Lightning strikes are one of the atmospheric phenomena that causes higher deaths in the country. It is an event in which the electric discharge takes place between the atmosphere and the ground. Most lightning strikes begin in a cumulonimbus cloud and end on the ground, a phenomenon known as cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning.
In India, the months of April, May, June, and July witness the highest number of lightning strikes.
Previous reports from both the IMD and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) indicated that lightning events in India are on the rise.
According to IMD’s primary statistics on extreme weather occurrences, at least 428 such incidents happened in India this year. 544 incidents of flood and severe rain were reported, while around 114 disturbances due to heatwaves were recorded.
The highest number of lightning incidents were recorded in Bihar at 85, followed by Uttar Pradesh at 81. Jharkhand recorded 65 incidents while Maharashtra recorded 47 such incidents. The majority of such incidents were recorded in Vidarbha and Marathwada regions.
Maharashtra (69) also recorded the second-highest number of floods and heavy rain incidents, while Himachal Pradesh (123) recorded the maximum number of such events during this monsoon season.
Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director general of Meteorology, said, “Extreme weather events have become a major challenge for IMD. This year we have recorded several such incidents. However, these are the basic figures, and we are still in the process of preparing the final report. The data we have received will be verified with state authorities as well as the disaster management authority. We are also in the process of verifying the mortality reports and after that, the final draft will be published.”
Reports suggested that farmers working in the field during the lightening period are more susceptible to lightning strikes. The weather experts said that although there are some systems to forecast lightning events, more work is needed to forecast such events.
According to IMD authorities, the department issues warnings from time to time. Damini, a special app, was also created to issue and send lightning notifications.
