Lightning killed 88 persons in AP last year, says NCRB report

Visakhapatnam: Lightning killed 88 persons in Andhra Pradesh last year, said a recent report released by NCRB on deaths caused by natural calamities.

This formed 62 per cent of the 142 deaths caused by nature's fury in the state. Heat or sunstroke caused 33 per cent of the accidental deaths in AP in 2022.

A total of 142 persons were killed in the state due to forces of nature in 2022. Flood claimed six lives, epidemics took five lives and exposure to cold and cyclone claimed one life each in the state in 2022.

Despite the new technologies, programmes and alerts, lightning continued to kill at least 80 to 100 people every year in Andhra Pradesh. Coastal areas usually witness maximum lighting strikes owing to their proximity to sea.

“Lightning remained one of the largest causes of deaths due to natural disasters in the country every year for two decades. The larger proportion of these deaths was in rural pockets, with only 5 to 6 per cent in urban settings.

At least six of ten deaths were of those taking shelter under trees in the face of heavy rain, thunder and lightning. They were electrocuted when trees were struck by lightning. At least 25 per cent of the victims were those hit directly while in the open areas. Among them were mainly farmers, labourers, cattle-grazers and fisherfolk.

The lighting strikes also kill wild animals and livestock, causing substantial damage to property and injuries to people and livestock.