Odisha govt to adopt technology for early lightning warning

Odisha government has initiated steps for adoption of super technology for early warning system about lightning, which claimed over 450 lives last year, a senior official has said.

The possibilities of early detection and warning system about lightning was discussed at a high level meeting held here yesterday, the official said.

More than 450 people in the state lost their lives due to lightning strikes last year, chief secretary A P Padhi told reporters after the meeting.

"The early warning system about lightning has shown positive results in some states and we will examine the utility and applicability of the system in our state for saving the life and property of the people from lightning," he said.

Considering the views expressed by experts and scientists at the meeting, the chief secretary directed Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) to prepare a project proposal with specific location specific prediction, accuracy level, dissemination and advance alert to the people.

The US-based Lightning analysing system 'Earth Network' also made a presentation at the meeting.

Development Commissioner R Balakrishnan suggested integration of the system with the existing early warning dissemination system, an official release said.

"Early detection of lightning is feasible and it has been possible in some places. Lightning can be noticed in the cloud 30 to 45 minutes ahead of its ground falling through application of super censors," chief executive of the Odisha Space Application Centre (ORSAC), Sandeep Tripathy, said.

Once detected, the probability of its ground fall can be calculated on the basis of GIS maps collected through remote sensing and the warning can be disseminated to people for taking precautions, he said.

It was also decided at the meeting that Pulse Radar technology would be used in which censors would be fixed in definite locations to receive signals from the radar.

Once the prediction is finalised, it would be disseminated through SMS, Mobile Apps, radio and TV. The system would also be helpful in prediction of hail winds, hail storms, dangerous thunderstorm, flood and draught predictions, the release said.

Describing lightning as an "instant killer", Special Relief Commissioner (RSC) Bishnupada Sethi said it had claimed 456 lives in 2016-17, 15 per cent more compared to 2015-16.