Silchar, April 30: The Northeast is prone to lightning because of its complex topography, killing many people every year.

A study, Spatio-temporal variability of the properties of mesoscale convective systems over a complex terrain as observed by TRMM sensors, by Hupesh Choudhury, Partha Roy, Sarbeswar Kalita and Sanjay Sharma states that the northeastern states are prone to lightning, especially during the pre-monsoon period. The study was published in the International Journal of Climatology in September last year.

Roy, a senior research scholar in the department of physics, Kohima Science College, told The Telegraph today that “during the pre-monsoon season, the frequency of lightning is quite significant in the Northeast due to the interaction of moisture-laden wind with the complex topography of the region. The Meghalaya plateau and foothills of Patkai hill range, in particular, experience severe lightning.”

Another study, Space time variation of lightning activity over Northeast India, by Iqbal R. Tinmaker and Kaushar Ali of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, found that lightning flash rate density is maximum over the west of northeast India. The study, published in Meteorologische Zeitschrift in April, 2012, said this high flash rate density is attributed to the topography and the geography of the region, along with the moisture availability.

The study was conducted taking space-time variation of flash rate density over the Northeast by using monthly satellite-based lightning flash grid data for a period of 10 years (1998-2007). “Thunderstorms are very frequent during the pre-monsoon season over northeastern India and Bangladesh. They are especially distinctive by their nature and severity compared to other thunderstorms, which occur over some other regions or during some other seasons,” the study said.

“About 55,000 lightning flashes were recorded by the lightning imaging sensor (LIS) during the 10-year period in northeast India” said another study, A lightning climatology of Northeast India, published in International Journal of Meteorology in 2010.

The thunderstorm 2014 report published by Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said the highest number of thunderstorms in each month of the storm period (March 15 to June 15, 2014) were recorded in Assam, followed by Arunachal Pradesh in March, Meghalaya in April and Tripura in May and June. During the entire period, the frequency was highest during night (30 per cent) followed by evening (21 per cent).

Despite being the most lightning-prone zone in the Northeast, Assam does not have any separate programme to create awareness among the people about lightning.

When contacted, Nandita Hazarika, deputy secretary of state revenue and disaster management authority, told this correspondent that though they don’t not have any separate campaign for lightning, they create awareness among the people about the phenomenon. “We release pamphlets detailing what one should do during storm,” she said.

Two minors died in Dhemaji yesterday after being struck by lightning. They were identified as Kanaklata Pame, 8, from Pipaguri village and Ankur Patir, 5, from Jatiachapori.

The data of the National Crime Records Bureau says lightning kills more people in India than any other natural calamity. According to a 2014 NCRB report, out of 20,201 accidental deaths attributable to natural causes, 12.8 per cent were due to lightning.

(Source: Telegraph)