Climate Change Likely Reason For Growing Toll Of Lightning Strikes In Bangladesh

Bangladesh, a delta country surrounded by the Bay of Bengal, has been experiencing more frequent and deadly lightning strikes apparently due to climate change and its rapidly growing impacts

DHAKA, 27 Oct (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Oct, 2021 ) :- Bangladesh, a delta country surrounded by the Bay of Bengal, has been experiencing more frequent and deadly lightning strikes apparently due to climate change and its rapidly growing impacts.

The country's geographical location and population density have made it vulnerable to lightning strikes, and the rising number of casualties led authorities to announce the phenomenon as a natural disaster in 2016.

As of September, Bangladesh, which ranks third among countries prone to lightning strikes, had seen 329 deaths due to lightning strikes, according to government figures.

In 2019, 198 people were killed in lightning strikes and 255 in 2020.

Over the past 10 years, lightning strikes have killed at least 2,800 people in Bangladesh, with a majority of the victims being farmers, official data shows.

Lightning strikes occur when cool and heavy air descending from the Himalayas collides with hot air flowing from the Bay of Bengal to produce thunder clouds, experts told Anadolu Agency.