Now, special steps to help minimise losses from lightning strikes in Uttar Pradesh

A team of state disaster relief force will now be visiting Sonbhadra, Mirzapur and Prayagraj districts—areas where most of recent such incidents have taken place—in the coming days

The state government is all set to launch a project to minimise loss of human life and livestock because of frequent incidents of lightning strikes. A team of state disaster relief force (SDRF) will now be visiting Sonbhadra, Mirzapur and Prayagraj districts—areas where most of recent such incidents have taken place—in the coming days.

According to the data provided by the Prayagraj district administration, between February to October 2022, a total of 82 people died in calamities that cover drowning, lightning strikes and heavy rain etc. (For Representation)

The SDRF team along with the respective district administration will then visit the areas of these districts which are severely affected by the lightning and storm in the recent past to make locals aware of the ways to minimise the threat of lightning strikes, said officials aware of the move.

“The idea is to run two projects simultaneously: One making the locals aware of the natural calamity and how to minimise the losses and second to install equipment for an early warning and making locals aware of the same,” they added.

These projects will be launched to cover the Vindhya mountain range starting from Sonbhadra to Mirzapur and in different development blocks of the trans-Yamuna area of Prayagraj which has been badly affected by the incidents of lightning strikes claiming human lives and livestock as well as property.

“Under the first project, locals would be made aware about the natural calamity and in the second, equipment including early warning system, anti-lightning detectors etc would be installed”, said ADM (finance and revenue) Jagdamba Singh, who is also the district nodal officer in charge of all affairs related to natural disasters.

“Among the blocks in Prayagraj to be covered under the initiative include Khiri, Lediyari, Shankargarh and Nari-Bari among others,” he added.

The official further said SDRF will be holding meetings with the district administration following which a detailed plan would be chalked out which would be followed in terms of making the rural folks of these blocks aware of the ways to deal with this natural calamity.

“Besides, the district administration in Prayagraj has already prepared a strong and committed team of around 400 ‘Apada Mitra’ (disaster friends) who belong to the villages which are frequently hit by natural calamities,” Singh said.

According to the data provided by the Prayagraj district administration, between February to October 2022, a total of 82 people died in calamities that cover drowning, lightning strikes, heavy rain and even deaths owing to snakebites.

“Till October this year, compensations worth ₹3.28 crore was awarded in various cases, including 34 deaths due to drowning, 23 owing to lightning strikes, 15 deaths due to snakebites, eight deaths due to excessive rain and two deaths due to storms”, said ADM (finance and revenue) Jagdamba Singh.

Earlier this year, chief minister Yogi Adityanath, while expressing concern over the number of deaths caused every year due to lightning strikes, had asked the State Disaster Management Authority to set up a lightning forecast system in the state.

“In this direction, the government is going to implement lightning safety programme. With this system, people will get area-wise warning regarding possible lightning strikes on time and can avoid going to such places. They can also stop their animals from moving out. Work is also going on to strengthen the district level emergency operation centres as well,” officials said.