KATHM ANDU, Feb 27: Meteorologists and weather experts have warned of more losses of lives and property in the coming months as they claim that lightening incidents are expected to rise due to La Nina effect.
La Nina is a condition in which temperature of sea surface is dropped, triggering rainfall, landslide and lightening incidents.Moreover, experts said that people residing in makeshift shelter made up of corrugated metal sheet are more vulnerable to lightening.
"People residing in the makeshift shelter made from corrugated sheets are highly vulnerable to lightening," Mani Ratna Shakya, a senior meteorologist, said, adding that corrugated sheets are good conductor for lightening.
Shakya, who is also a visiting professor at the Kathmandu University, said that the best option to avoid the risk of lightening is to stay inside home at the time of rainfall and storm. However, he said that makeshift shelters made up of corrugated sheets are the worst option, as they are highly prone to the lightening strikes.
"We do not suggest people to stay inside shelter of corrugated sheets," added Shakya.
According to Shakya, lightening is the discharge of electromagnetic energy developed above the earth and it is more likely to strike metals. Hundreds of thousands of people in the quake-hit districts have been taking refuge in makeshift shelters. Over 700,000 houses in the highly affected 14 districts were demolished by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake of April 25 last year.
Due to procrastination from the part of concerned government agencies, reconstruction works have not yet started. That has compelled quake victims to reside in temporary shelters.
Rajendra Prasad Shrestha, another meteorologist said that upcoming monsoon season would be tough time for quake victims. "Residing inside shelter of corrugated sheets is not safe and we suggest coming outside during thunderstorm," said Shrestha. He said that all quake victims are vulnerable to lightening, as chances of lightening are high in hilly region.
Data provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) shows that 128 people died and 261 injured in the lightening strike in the previous year.
Meteorologist shakya said that El Nino effect, the prolonged warming in temperature of Pacific Ocean that caused less rainfall and thunder bolt incidents last season is generally followed by La Nina. He claimed citing National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA)'s prediction that El Nino's effect will change in the near future La Nino effect will begin.
La Nina is considered to be responsible for extreme weather which is typically opposite to El Nino.
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