Deaths Caused by Lightning Have Been Consistently Rising
Concept Linkage
GS-1: Indian Geography & Climatology
GS-3: Disaster Management
GS-3: Climate Change & Extreme Weather Events
What Happened
The article analyses NCRB data and highlights that lightning has emerged as the most lethal natural hazard in India, with fatalities increasing consistently over recent decades.
Key Highlights
- India recorded more than 1 lakh deaths due to lightning between 1975 and 2024.
- More than half of these deaths occurred between 2005 and 2024.
- The decadal average of lightning-related deaths increased from:
- 1,683 (1995–2004)
- 2,476 (2005–2014)
- 2,809 (2015–2024)
- In 2016, India recorded 3,315 deaths due to lightning, the highest since 1975.
- Lightning accounted for nearly 70% of all natural-hazard-related deaths in 2021.
- The majority of lightning-related deaths occurred in non-peninsular States.
- States frequently recording high lightning fatalities include:
- Madhya Pradesh
- Bihar
- Uttar Pradesh
- Odisha
- Jharkhand
- Chhattisgarh
- A study by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) found an increasing trend in lightning activity over the last two decades.
- The study linked rising lightning activity to:
- Increased Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE)
- Rising temperature
- Increased atmospheric moisture
- The article associates these changes with land-use and land-cover changes and broader warming trends.
- The India Meteorological Department provides thunderstorm forecasts, while IITM provides lightning alerts through the Damini mobile application.
- The article emphasises the importance of public awareness and precautionary measures during lightning events.
Key Facts
- Lightning is currently identified as India’s deadliest natural hazard in terms of fatalities.
- Convective thunderstorms are becoming more frequent in several regions.
- Seasonal variation shows:
- Higher lightning activity over northwest India during the monsoon season
- Increased activity in northeast India during the pre-monsoon season
- NCRB’s Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India (ADSI) reports were used for the analysis.
Question? Lightning is defined as
