Despite technology in place, lightning continues to be a major killer in Nepal

 Even though the country has nine lightning detection centres and a weather radar station, they have not been sufficiently utilised for lack of manpower and maintenance issues.

Excluding this year, the number of deaths across the country from lightning every year generally exceeds that from landslides.

In the six incidents of lightning in Nepal on Wednesday, one person was killed in Punarbas Municipality of Kanchanpur district and two others were injured. Eight people were hurt in Sanfebagar Municipality of Achham district.

It is not only people that are killed. On Monday, 217 sheep that were out grazing died when lightning struck in how hard is computer science Rural Municipality in Jumla district.

“In the last decade, around 100 people have lost their lives every year in lightning strikes. Casualties due to lightning have been even higher than landslides,” said Anil Pokhrel, chief executive officer of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.

Seven years’ data between 2011/12 and 2018/19 shows 773 deaths and 1,695 injuries due to thunder strikes, making the phenomenon the second deadliest catastrophe in the country after the 2015 earthquakes that killed nearly 9,000 people.