As lightning kills 12 in a day, Odisha proposes large-scale palm tree plantations

As lightning kills 12 in a day, Odisha proposes large-scale palm tree plantations

Subject: Geography

Section: Physical geography

Context:

• Lightening in several parts of Odisha killed 12 persons in a single day on October 2, 2023.

Lightening in Odisha:

• The eastern coastal state of Odisha, prone to natural calamities, continues to be one of the leading states in terms of mortality due to lightning.
• On April 1, 2015, Odisha declared lightning a “state-specific disaster”. Odisha also floated a proposal to the Centre to declare lightning as a natural disaster. Till now 16 states have declared lightning a state-specific disaster.
• Lightning is the discharge of electricity to another cloud or to the ground. The effects of lightning on humans include burns, muscle spasms, multi-system dysfunction, cardiac arrest and instant death.
• The phenomenon in Odisha was a result of recurrent dry spells in between the monsoon months.
• This is not a new phenomenon. The change in rainfall patterns with a longer dry spell time period breaking through the monsoon leads to increased lightning events.

Mortality due to lightning:

• According to the Annual Lightning Report 2021-22, most victims of lighting are from rural areas (96%) which include farmers, cattle grazers, fishermen, jungle hunters and labourers working in the open.
• Lightning strikes increased 34% from 2019-20 to 2020-21 and then reduced by 19.5% in 2021-22.
• Lightning strikes will increase by about 12 percent for every degree of rise in global average air temperature.

Palm tree plantations as lightning conductors:

• Multiple studies show that palm trees (Arecaceae) are useful in preventing lightning strikes.
• Countries such as Thailand and Bangladesh have opted for large-scale palm tree plantations to mitigate lightning deaths. As trees contain sap and water, they absorb the lightning and are damaged themselves.
• Since palm tree is on the exempted species list, it does not require a transit permit for transportation Thus prone to illegal felling and transportation.

Awareness is key:

• The India Meteorological Department issues specific forecasts related to lightning with colour-coded warnings. The first forecast is issued three days ahead of any lightning events, and the second forecast is issued three hours before the lightning events.
• The Annual Lightning Report also recommends that states should undertake lightning micro-zonation for geographical region-wise precise handling of the risk.
• The Lightning Risk Management programme for each state has to be customized as per seasonality, intensity and frequency of lightning.