EWEs: Lightning strike claims one more life in Kashmir

IMD issues warning due to inclement weather, urges hikers & picnickers to exercise caution

The extreme weather events in Kashmir on Friday claimed one more life after a lightning strike hit a person in South Kashmir’s Guddar area in Kulgam districts, said an official on Friday.

The officials at the district administration in Kulgam informed Ground Report that a 46-year-old person, who was on his way to his agriculture field, died due to a lightning strike. They stated that the person died on the spot, and the district administration and police initiated the necessary proceedings into the incident.

An official stated, "We have issued an alert in the area, urging people not to venture into high altitude areas. For plains, we have advised people to be cautious during rains and avoid movement during thunder and lightning."

The official mentioned that after completing the legal formalities in the presence of the magistrate and the police, they handed over the body to the family for the last rites.

Trekkers, picnickers asked to exercise caution

Following the death incident due to the lightning strike, a senior scientist at IMD stationed in Srinagar Dr. Mukthar told Ground Report that people should be sensitive with respect to the weather warnings issued by them, saying that the trekkers and picnic goers to hill stations with a plan for outside activity should plan their travel according to the weather advisory.

He said, "Trekkers, picnic goers, those working in orchids and agriculture fields should be careful during the inclement weather and should follow the weather warning when it is issued to avoid any eventuality."

He said that the nomads who, along with their livestock, travel to high altitudes should also be careful during inclement weather and plan their travel accordingly, so as to save themselves and their livestock.

Increasing mortalities due to EWVs

Notably, mortality rates in Jammu and Kashmir have witnessed a spike due to the extreme weather conditions, especially lightning, which resulted in the death of a young married couple and two others in May this year.

Mortalities Due to Lightning

According to a new report covered by the Ground Report earlier this year, the past 12 years have reported 2863 EWEs with 552 deaths with frequent mortalities due to lightning.

Based on research conducted in 2021, it is evident that apart from floods and tropical cyclones, heat waves and lightning have emerged as significant contributors to mortality rates.

As per the research study, “An assessment of long-term changes in mortalities due to extreme weather events in India”, A study of 50 years’ data, 1970–2019’, In the Indian subcontinent, the annual average of extreme weather events (EWEs) is reported to have increased during the last few decades. 

In a separate study carried out by a team of scientists associated with the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), with it’s corresponding author Dr. Mukthar Ahmad a senior scientist and also the Deputy Director at Srinagar’s weather station carried out a research study on Extreme Weather Events induced mortalities in Jammu and Kashmir, India, over the past 12 years, (2010-2022), according to which a total of 2863 EWEs occurred over J&K, of which 552 deaths occurred till the end of 2022. Among the various EWEs, lightning (1942) and heavy rainfall (409) events were more frequent.

Disaster management & policy planning

The study highlights that in the past, researchers conducted few studies to examine the trends of EWEs-related mortalities in Jammu and Kashmir, and most of these studies focused on only one type of extreme weather event.

It is thus necessary to study and explore all major types of EWEs over the last 10 to 15 years to develop better disaster management programmes and policy planning. Keeping in mind the increased frequency of EWEs and mortality as a result of these events, these events must be thoroughly investigated.

The study has documented 2863 extreme weather events in Jammu and Kashmir from 2010 to 2022, stating that the events have caused 552 mortalities with 0.19 mortality per event. 

Current weather & advisory

As rains lashed Jammu and Kashmir on Friday bringing down the temperature, the weather department officials in Kashmir have forecasted more rains till July 9 with main activity on 8 and 9 July, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday too issued an advisory for widespread moderate to heavy rain with thundershower and lightning till July 9.

Director MeT office here Sonam Lotus said in an advisory to Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, "We expect widespread moderate to heavy rain with thundershower/lightning in Jammu & Kashmir during 7-9th July, with the main activity on July 8-9th, under the influence of monsoon winds and western disturbance."

The advisory states that some places in the Jammu Division are very likely to receive heavy to very heavy rain whereas heavy rain is also likely at some places in Kashmir Division during the period and decrease thereafter gradually.

Due to the inclement weather conditions, authorities suspended the Amarnath Yatra on the twin routes of Baltal and Pahalgam as rain lashed the Kashmir Valley.

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