STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Deafening thunderbolts often leave us dumbstruck for a few moments before returning to normalcy. Can one imagine how many lightning strikes have struck Assam in the past six months this year? It is shocking but a fact that lightning has struck Assam as many as 2,10,542 times from February to July this year.
A report published by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Climate Change has revealed these statistics of lightning in Assam and other states in the country.
According to information from the State Government, Assam has lost as many as 34 human lives due to lightning since March this year.
According to the statistics of the Union Ministry, Assam had no lightning strike in January this year. The state, however, experienced lightning every month from February to July this year. The month-wise breakup of lightning strikes in the state this year is: 2,095 in February; 18,358 in March; 1,03,892 in April; 38,737 in May; 43,947 in June; and 3,513 in July.
“There are no proven studies linking the increase in lightning due to deforestation. However, associated with global warming, an increase in various extreme weather conditions, including lightning events, has been observed in the country in line with the increase in such events observed over various other parts of the globe,” the report of the Union ministry said.
The report of the Union Ministry further revealed that lightning strikes claimed 28 lives in 2019, 14 lives in 2020, and 16 lives in 2021 in Assam.
According to State Government sources, lightning claimed its first toll of two at Srijangram Revenue Circle in the Bongaigaon district on March 15, 2023. The deceased were Jintu Kumar Ray (19) and Dipjyoti Ray (18). Lightning struck them at 6 p.m. that day.
The district-wise breakup of lightning tolls in the state this year is three in Bongaigaon, two in Darrang, one in Kamrup Metro, two in Karimganj, three in Goalpara, one in Hojai, two in Cachar, one in Majuli, two in Nagaon, three in Dhubri, two in Chirang, three in Sivasagar, one in Hailakandi, two in Biswanath, one in Dima Hasao, two in Sonitpur, one in Kamrup, one in Morigaon, and one in South Salmara. The last toll due to lightning this year in the state was Amina Khatun (38) on August 7 in the Mankachar Revenue Circle in the South Salmara district.
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