“Climate impact” in Bangladesh: In 38 days, 74 persons are killed by lightning strikes

Over the course of the last 38 days in Bangladesh through May 8, lightning strikes claimed the lives of at least 74 individuals, including 35 farmers. Experts told Anadolu that the main cause of these incidences was the influence of climate change.

Lightning claimed the lives of forty-three persons in the final eight days of May. The Thunderstorm Awareness Forum and Save the Society released a report on Thursday that stated that lightning strikes claimed the lives of 31 persons in April.

This May, lightning strikes claimed the lives of eleven people in a single day and injured nine more.

According to official figures, lightning strikes have killed at least 2,800 individuals in the South Asian country between the year 2000 and 2021.

Bangladesh, a delta nation encircled by the Bay of Bengal, is seeing an increase in the frequency and severity of lightning strikes.

Experts concluded that climate change was most likely to blame.

The growing effects of global warming and the removal of trees in Bangladesh’s rural areas, particularly tall trees in the fields, are the two causes of the rise in lightning strikes, according to Kabirul Bashar, president of the forum and professor at Jahangirnagar University.

Environmental scientist Shahriar Hossain shared this opinion, telling Anadolu that climate change continues to be a major contributing element to Bangladesh’s rising lightning strike rate.

The UN reports that there are 300 lightning-related deaths in Bangladesh on average per year.

This April saw the longest heat wave to hit Bangladesh since 1948, and it was the first time that heat waves persisted over 75–80% of the nation.

“Weather extremes, late rain, or untimely rain are all consequences of climate change. According to Hossain, lightning strikes occur when the soil’s surface temperature rises in opposition to the surrounding air and surroundings.

The climate catastrophe is being exacerbated by deforestation and a decline in tall trees such as palms, endangering farmers who work in open fields, according to Hossain, secretary-general of the Environment and Social Development Organization.

However, he argued that by raising awareness, erecting lightning absorber towers, and providing weather forecasts, we can prevent deaths caused by climatic disasters.