Lightning killed 2,800 people in South Asian nation in past decade, with farmers being most vulnerable group
\nDHAKA
\nAt least 74 people, including 35 farmers, were killed by lightning strikes over the last 38 days across Bangladesh until May 8, with experts telling Anadolu that climate change impact was the primary reason behind such incidents.
\nIn the last eight days of May, 43 people were killed by lightning. In April, 31 people were killed by lightning strikes, according to a report released on Thursday by Save the Society and Thunderstorm Awareness Forum.
\nIn a single day, 11 people died and nine others were injured by lightning strikes this May.
\nOver the past decade till 2021, lightning strikes have killed at least 2,800 people in the South Asian nation, official data shows.
\nBangladesh being a delta country surrounded by the Bay of Bengal is experiencing more frequent and deadly lightning strikes.
\nExperts said it was apparently due to climate change.
\nKabirul Bashar, president of the forum and a professor at Jahangirnagar University, said that they have identified two reasons behind the increase in lightning strikes \u2013 the increasing impact of global warming and cutting down of trees in rural areas of Bangladesh, especially tall trees in the fields.
\nEchoing the same view, Shahriar Hossain, an environmental expert, told Anadolu that climate change remains a driving factor behind the increasing number of lightning strikes in Bangladesh.
\nAn average of 300 lightning-related fatalities annually are recorded in Bangladesh, according to the UN.
\nBangladesh this April experienced its longest heat wave in recorded history since 1948 and for the first time, nearly 75-80% of the country experienced continuous heat waves.
\n\u201cClimate change is causing untimely rains, extreme heat, or late rain. Lightning strikes happen when the temperature on the soil surface rises against the air and environment,\u201d Hossain explained.
\n\u201cFurthermore, deforestation and reducing number of tall trees like palm are contributing to the climate disaster, threatening farmers who work in the open field,\u201d said Hossain, who is also secretary-general of the Environment and Social Development Organization.
\n\u201cBut we can avoid death by climate disaster by increasing awareness, installing lightning absorber towers, and issuing weather forecasts,\u201d he suggested.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Lightning killed 2,800 people in South Asian nation in past decade, with farmers being most vulnerable group DHAKA At least 74 people, including 35 farmers, were killed by lightning strikes over the last 38 days across Bangladesh until May 8, with experts telling Anadolu that climate change impact was the primary reason behind such incidents. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":405903,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-405883","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n