Recently, the Odisha government approved a proposal to plant 19 lakh palm trees to ward against the problem of deaths due to lightning strikes.

About Lightning Strikes and its Occurrence

• Lightning happens when there is a big spark of electricity in the sky during a thunderstorm. 
• Thunderclouds: During a thunderstorm, there are clouds in the sky. Inside these clouds, tiny water droplets and ice particles bump into each other.
• Electric Charges: When these particles collide, they create an imbalance of electrical charges. Some parts of the cloud become positively charged, and other parts become negatively charged.
• Charge Separation: The positive charges gather at the top of the cloud, and the negative charges gather at the bottom. This creates a strong electric field between the top and bottom of the cloud. 
• Lightning Formation: When the electrical field becomes very strong, it can make a path for electricity to flow. It’s like a big spark traveling through the air.
• Lightning Bolt: The spark travels from the cloud down to the ground, or sometimes from one cloud to another. It happens very quickly. This is the lightning bolt that is visible. 
• Flash of Light: When the lightning bolt moves, it heats up the air around it. This makes the air glow brightly, and that’s why we see a flash of light.
• Thunder: After the lightning bolt, we hear thunder. Thunder is the sound made by the rapid expansion and contraction of air caused by the intense heat of the lightning.
• Lightning Occurrence in India: The highest number of cloud-to-lightning (CG) strikes occur in eastern and central India according to the Annual Lightning Report 2023-2024, published by the Climate Resilient Observing Systems Promotion Council (CROPC) and the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).

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Threat of Lightning in Odisha

• State Disaster: Odisha designated lightning as a state-specific disaster in 2015 and has provided ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh for lightning deaths since 2015.
• Conditions: Odisha is an eastern coastal state situated in the tropical zone, with its hot, dry climate presenting the perfect blend of conditions for lightning strikes.
• Increased Frequency: A total of 3,790 people have lost their lives to lightning strikes in the last 11 years, with 791 alone in the previous three fiscal years due to the increased frequency of lightning strikes. 
• High Fatalities: The Special Relief Commissioner’s office said as many as 282 persons died in 2021-22 due to lightning strikes, 297 in 2022-23 and 212 in 2023-24. 
  • The state most notably recorded 61,000 lightning strikes in a two-hour interval on September 2, 2023, which killed at least 12 people.
• Palm Trees to Defend against Lightning Strikes: Palm trees are uniquely suited to be lightning conductors because of their height among other trees. They contain high moisture and sap, can absorb lightning and reduce its direct impact on the ground.
  • Financial Allocation: The Special Relief Commissioner’s office has approved Rs 7 crore for the proposed plan. 
  • Ban on Felling: The state has banned the felling of existing palm trees and 19 lakh palm trees will initially be planted on the boundaries of the forests.
  • Raised Concern: 
    • A palm tree needs at least 15 to 20 years to attain a height of 20 feet. 
    • There are also concerns that some trees could catch fire after lightning strikes.
    • Experts have raised concerns about this proposal and demanded a more comprehensive and grounded strategy supported by proper data analysis. 

Conclusion

To tackle the threat of lightning, there is a need to focus on an early warning system to forecast lightning strikes, disseminate the message through media and social media, and widespread public awareness of the do’s and don’ts around a lightning strike.

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